


Where the Light Escapes

by Artistia



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: Again, F/F, Geez, More characters also to be added later, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Super slow burn in case you missed the first one, Themyscira (DCU), There I go changing canon again, Though I call it Kiana, superwonder
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2019-07-02 03:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 91,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15788169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artistia/pseuds/Artistia
Summary: They say that nothing can escape a black hole, not even light, the gravitational force is too strong. For something to survive the void, it would take an act of fate, an act of gods.When Kara is sent away from Krypton, in the aftermath of the destruction, she encounters something that changes the course of her destiny, and those that she will inevitably meet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Pft, okay, I'm back with another long story. This one I have been toying with since seeing the Wonder Woman (2017) movie, so like a while. Changed Kara's history for this story, made up stuff about Kryptonian culture because I was unsatisfied with what I found. Also solidified Diana's history as well because it is murky at best without a reasonable explanation. But that will come later.
> 
> I've pulled a lot of Amazons out of all of the different incarnations of Wonder Woman's story, some OCs, but mostly names, people that have been mentioned. I kept the story the same as the movie though rather than incorporating the Lost Amazonian Tribe, because I wasn't really sure what to do with them here. I do like the storyline for them, but it didn't fit with the overall plot here so that's why I just stuck with the movie.

* * *

 

**Chapter 1**

 

Kara held onto her mother tightly as the world shook and crackled around them. She knew, she knew this was the end, that she was being sent away, that the world was ending. She knew this would be the last time she saw her mother or father, her entire world, and she just wanted to hold on a little longer, to never let go. “Kara,” her mother whispered, “Kara you have to let go little star.”

“I don’t want to,” the girl murmured, burying her head into her mother’s chest. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“You must little star, you have to live,” Alura told her, fighting back the tears in her eyes. “You have so much of your life ahead of you. You must live to carry on the memory of Krypton, but also to be there for your baby cousin. Because of Earth’s yellow sun, you will have great powers there, do not be afraid, use them wisely, be a light for the people of Earth, be the guiding light I know you can be, my little star.”

The girl released her mother, wiping away the tears that were falling down her face. “I’ll be brave mother, I won’t let you or father down.”

Alura gave the girl a soft smile and tucked a lock of dirty blonde hair out of her eyes. “You’re always so brave little star, I want you to be happy. I need you to live a long, full life, to fall in love, have a family. Know that your father and I will be watching over you from Rao’s light.” She stepped back and allowed her wife to hug their daughter one last time before they had to let her go.

“Father,” Kara hugged the blonde woman, relishing in the soft hands that combined through her hair.

“My beautiful star,” Lara murmured, pressing soft kisses into her hair. “You’re going to grow up and do great things, I only wish that we could be there to watch you grow.” She took her necklace off and snapped it around Kara’s neck. “Keep this with you always as a way to remember your mother and I,” she told her daughter, kneeling down in front of her. Alura handed Lara her bonding bracelet, the one that had been a fixture on her wrist for the past twenty years. They were wider than most bonding bracelets, covering their entire wrist rather than just a small band. She brushed her thumb over the metal fondly, years of memories flashing through her mind in an instant: meeting Alura as children of the upper houses of Krypton, falling in love, their bonding ceremony, petitioning for a child with the birthing matrix, and choosing to go with a more natural approach when they were informed all of the birthing pods were full. Seeing her wife’s stomach rounded and growing with their child was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen, second only to Alura on their bonding day.

Another earthquake rocked through the platform, snapping Lara out of her thoughts and back to the matter at hand, and the precious time they were losing. She had to make sure that Kara escaped, that her and Alura’s daughter lived, that the proof, the beautiful proof of their loved carried on while they could not. She took her own bonding bracelet off her wrist and snapped them around Kara’s. “These will protect you,” she murmured, staring into watery, crystal blue eyes. “The metal used to make bonding bracelets is one of the strongest materials in the universe, much stronger than anything found on Earth.”

“They’re too big Father,” Kara sniffled, clutching onto the bracelets like her life depended on it.

Lara smiled at the girl, “You will grow into them Kara, and they will grow with you. Don’t be afraid, my star, we will always be with you.”

A slight quake followed by a blast echoed through the launch chambers and Alura glanced towards the sound. “Jor-El must’ve sent Kal-El already, we don’t have much time left Lara.”

The blonde woman gave another teary smile and hugged Kara to her. “It’s so hard to let you go,” she choked out, unable to fight back the tears as her wife had.

“We’re running out of time Lara,” Alura said, tears streaking down her own face.

Lara straightened and wiped at her face. “You’re right, Kara it’s time, you have to get in the pod, your cousin has already left.” The smell of sulfur filled their nostrils as more explosions and earthquakes fractured the rocks around them. Lara and Alura helped Kara up into her pod, and tucked the little girl into the pod with her blanket and other items to remind her of Krypton.

“We love you Kara,” Alura gasped out, tears streaking down her face. “But now you must go little star.” The two women pressed kisses against Kara’s face and head before stepping back away from the pod, watching as the hatch closed.

Kara pressed her hand against the glass, not tearing her eyes away from her mother and father as the pod’s autopilot kicked in and started counting down to launch. “I love you,” Kara said through the glass, her own eyes clouding with tears as the pod took off, rocketing her into space.

Both Alura and Lara broke down in sobs as the pod disappeared, clinging to each other for comfort. “We did it,” Alura murmured, pressing her face into Lara’s blonde hair. “We got her out, she’ll be safe, have a future.”

“Yes,” Lara murmured, “Though I wish there was another way, I wish there was more time for us all. I wish we could’ve gone with her.”

Alura smiled sadly at her wife, tucking a few errant strands of blonde hair away from her face, “We made our bed Lara, now we must lie in it.”

The world shook and cracked around them and they clung tighter to each other, both knowing that this was the end, both hoping, praying that Kara got away in time. “I love you Alura,” Lara murmured, pressing her forehead against her wife’s.

“I love you too Lara,” Alura replied, her eyes closing. “We’ll be together in Rao’s light.”

Kara twisted around as best as she could in her pod; she couldn’t grab the controls and risk the autopilot disengaging but she needed to see, she needed to look at her world one last time. Krypton was shining, glowing in the light of its red sun when Kara saw a great fracture ripple through the world, and suddenly it was gone. The silence was deafening as millions of lives were snuffed out in an instant, all consumed by fire as the planet exploded. Kara heard a scream, and it took her a moment to realize that it was her own.

The blast knocked into the pod, sending it careening off course, whirling around through space. Kara braced her hands against the side of the pod, sending prayers to Rao to guide her journey safely, while tears continued to pour down her face as she mourned her parents, her family, her friends. Her eyes widened as the pod jerked, caught in a gravitational field and she looked out, her eyes falling on a dark, swirling vortex. “Oh Rao,” she muttered, her eyes widening.

A black hole. The science guild had been monitoring the vortex for years, ever since it was first discovered just outside of Rao’s system. The gravitational field of the black hole was strong as it pulled in the pod, fighting against the autopilot controls and thrusters that kept attempting to correct the course. Even with their advanced science and technology, no one was certain what happened inside of a black hole.

Kara screwed her eyes shut as her ship slipped into the vortex, darkness surrounding her almost instantly. The pod was tossed around, knocked by rocks and debris and Kara shook in the small space. Suddenly a light appeared behind her eyelids and she hesitantly opened her eyes, gaping at the swirls of light inside the vortex. A force jerked the pod forward and Kara braced herself as the light around her seemed to speed up. The pod was rocketing through the vortex, reaching a speed faster than light, and Kara slammed her eyes shut again.

The shaking began anew as the ship reached speeds it wasn’t designed to, and Kara was knocked into the side of the pod, her head cracking against the glass. Her head pounded as she slumped in her seat, instantly slipping into darkness.

 

* * *

 

Diana grunted as her back impacted the ground, a large, dark skinned Amazon pressed into her with a knife held to her throat. “Enough Philippus,” Antiope ordered, causing the woman to climb off the downed princess. The blonde general strode up next to the panting teenager on the ground and held out a hand to help her niece up. “You’re still hiding from your power Diana, you must learn to embrace it,” the woman said, setting her hands gently on the girl’s shoulders.

“I am embracing it Antiope, I want to become a warrior in case Ares returns, what more do I need to embrace?” Diana muttered out, frustrated.

“You are very brave Diana, but very naive in the ways of Man’s world,” the general said. “Now get on, your mother will have my head if you’re late for your tutoring lesson.”

The brunette sighed but nodded and sprinted back up to the palace where her tutor Calliope was waiting for her. “You’re late Diana,” the redhead stated, her hands set on her hips in irritation.

“Sorry Calliope, I was being beaten into the ground,” Diana grumbled.

“Just remember that your mother is allowing the training so long as you keep up with your other studies,” the tutor warned. “Now go get changed, we’re going to be in the library today looking at the ancient scrolls.”

Diana knew that rolling her eyes at her tutor or letting out a sigh would get back to her mother and she would never hear the end of it, so she just silently turned towards her room and pulled on a fresh tunic. Calliope nodded, pleased when Diana returned and the two made their way over to the library, taking a few of the historical scrolls from Mnemosyne before grabbing some of the ancient texts they had collected over the years. While Calliope droned on about the philosophies of Aristotle versus Plato, Diana glanced through some of the history scrolls. She always found the history of the Amazons and their origins far more interesting than the literature that Calliope insisted was important.

One of the scrolls in her stack looked far older than the others she had grabbed as they walked into the library. She had never seen it before, which was remarkable considering she had spent a lot of time going over the histories. It was old, older than the other scrolls Mnemosyne had written; the scroll was faded and cracked on the edges, and made of papyrus rather than parchment like the rest of the scrolls in the library. Diana picked it up and unrolled it on the table, her eyes tracing the foreign symbols and images before her.

“Calliope,” Diana said, interrupting her tutor, “What is this? This does not look like any language I have seen before.”

The woman crossed her eyes in annoyance before glancing down at the scroll the princess was looking at. “I, I’m not sure Diana. It’s an old scroll, but you’re right, it’s not in any language I immediately recognize. Mnemosyne would most likely know though.” Calliope left to fetch the historian while Diana continued to study the papyrus. The pictures were beautiful, decorated with watercolor while the language was written in the margins of the images. People were displayed throughout the scroll, shining people that seemed to come from the sky to Earth. She wondered if this was a story about ancient gods that once walked among men.

“What seems to be the problem?” The Amazon historian, Mnemosyne asked when Calliope returned with the older woman. Diana gestured to the scroll laid out in front of her and the gray-haired woman analyzed the papyrus. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen this scroll,” Mnemosyne murmured. “I had forgotten it was in the stack that I gave you.”

“What does it say, what do these pictures speak of?” Diana asked, still transfixed by the images.

Mnemosyne took the scroll and ran her fingers over the written script. “This is a written language that no longer exists,” she said, “This is the only remaining evidence of the Palaic language, a language that died out long before the time of the Amazons. The scroll speaks of a time when beings similar to us came from the stars, not gods, but still otherworldly. They brought with them great magic and knowledge before leaving, none have descended from the stars since.”

“Why did they descend from the stars? These people, does the scroll say?” Diana asked, staring at the pictures intently.

“I can’t actually read this language, so I’m not sure what it says but it does not look like the scrolls tell of why they came, just that they did come and interacted with mankind,” the historian responded. The woman nodded in farewell and returned to her scrolls, leaving Diana to her tutor.

Calliope rolled the papyrus up and returned to the philosophies, but Diana’s mind continued to return to the star people. She wondered if Mnemosyne was wrong, if the star people were like gods in power and appearance, and descended to bring gifts and knowledge to mankind. Her tutor slammed the table in front of her, startling the princess from her thoughts. “Do pay attention Diana, this is important,” Calliope said, her glare stern and dangerous.

Every now and then Diana forgot that the woman was an Amazon warrior, chosen and trained to be a fierce fighter though she had given up that job to be a scholar for the Amazons. The princess saw retribution and punishment in stormy gray eyes and gulped, returning her attention to the writings of Plato. Her tutoring session lasted well into the afternoon until she returned to the palace for an evening meal with her mother and several of the senators. While her mother would wish that she pay attention during state dinners such as this one, Diana’s mind kept returning to that mysterious scroll now that her attention was not diverted by her studies.

The histories and ancient legends always fascinated her, mostly due to the stories of brave Amazons fighting to defend the world. This legend was different though, something about it captivated her interest and she wasn't sure what is was. The queen dismissed her soon after dinner because the moon was rising in the sky and she was not yet old enough to join in the after feast activities.

Eventually the noise of the Amazons quieted down, and Themyscira became still and silent. The silence started to eat at her, echoing in her mind, enough to drive her out of bed. She sparring clothes on and climbed down the walls of the palace, sneaking around in the shadows until she reached the path down along the cliffs. She hasn't needed to sneak out at night since her mother had agreed to allow her to train as a warrior, but her mind was too restless for sleep to come easy.

Diana walked along the cliff edge and stared out at the barrier islands and the magic dome that hid Paradise Island from the rest of the world. She often wondered what Man’s world was like and desired to save them from the evil influence of Aries, but she knew that she had more training to do. Suddenly a dark shape glittering in the moonlight appeared in her vision and Diana watched as the shape hurtled down from the sky towards the sea. She could barely make out a figure slumped over behind the glass on the craft before it landed in the sea. Diana leapt off the cliff into the water and swam to the slowly sinking vessel. She took a deep breath before swimming down to the ship, her hands searching for a way to get to the figure inside.

Frustrated, Diana finally gave up trying to find a latch and settled for pounding on the glass, watching in relief as it cracked and shattered before her eyes. She grabbed the figure as water filled the space and pulled them to the surface before treading awkwardly back to land. When Diana reached the shore, she pulled the person onto the beach, the moonlight shining down allowing the Amazon to get a better look at the figure. It was a girl, one that looked smaller and younger than herself, but Diana knew that appearances were deceiving, especially since she grew up on an island of immortal Amazons. The girl had golden blonde hair streaked with white and silver, and was dressed in a strange white gown, one that covered both her arms and legs. Even while unconscious, her hands clutched tightly at a small bundle and Diana chose to leave it with her out of respect.

She heard a series of hoofbeats striking the ground and she turned to see her mother, her aunt, Philippus, Eubeoa, and several other warriors on horseback riding up to the beach. “Step back Diana,” Hippolyta ordered, her sword pulled pointing at the figure lying on the sand concealed by Diana’s shadow.

“No, mother, it’s okay, she, she needs our help,” the brunette moved away to reveal the full figure of the girl.

When they saw the girl on the ground, they approached cautiously on their horses, and Antiope dismounted to check on the figure. “She’s alive, breathing, but just barely,” the general said after searching the girl’s body for any signs of life.

“We must take her to Althea then,” Hippolyta commanded, waving for one of the waiting warriors to carry the girl. “How did you find the girl Diana?”

Diana pursed her lips in response and glanced out at the sea before looking up at the sky. “I saw something fall from the sky, some type of craft or ship, and I saw that someone was slumped over inside.” She pointed out to the water, “It landed and sank, so I swam out there to get the person. Mother, what if she’s one of the star people?”

“Star people?” Hippolyta asked, her bemused as she pulled Diana on her horse behind her.

The princess nodded, “Mnemosyne has a scroll, she told me the story today. A long time ago, people from the sky descended to the earth bringing new magic with them. She fell from the sky in some strange ship, so what if she is one of those star people?”

“I think that was just a story Diana, but I will tell Althea that she is to do everything she can for the girl. She is only the second child in Themyscira, so it is a blessing she landed here, even if she is not an Amazon.”

The hospital wasn’t far from the palace, so Diana was able to accompany the Amazon carrying the girl. Althea insisted that she look over her patient in private, but the princess refused to leave the hospital until the girl awoke. She paced in the hallway outside of the room where Althea was caring for the girl, while Hippolyta and Antiope stared at her, the former in confusion the latter in amusement. “Why do you care so much about what happens to this girl Diana?” The Amazon queen asked.

“Well I did fish her out of the water Mother, I would like to know if she survives her ordeal,” Diana answered, pausing momentarily to answer before resuming her pacing. “And I have so many questions for her, where she came from… She looks just like us, but what if she’s one of the star people?”

“Diana...” Hippolyta started but she was interrupted by Althea pushing back the curtain and stepping out into the hallway.

“How is she?” Diana asked, immediately in front of the doctor.

Althea looked from the princess to the queen, and Hippolyta just sighed and motioned for her to go ahead. “The girl is recovering,” Althea said, speaking to all three women. “She has a large bump on the side of her head which would explain her unconsciousness. I was unable to detect any injuries other than that and some small bruises all over her body.”

“Bruises, was the girl attacked?” Antiope asked, suddenly interested in the conversation. Children were precious to the Amazon, and although she had been training Diana to be a warrior ever since she was small, Antiope would never consider attacking a child.

The general relaxed minutely when the doctor shook her head but maintained a vigilant presence. Althea thought back to the varied bruises on the girl’s skin, “It’s more likely that she got knocked around a bit, like falling off a horse. We will have to wait until she awakens for us to learn more about the girl.”

“When do you think she will awaken?” Hippolyta questioned.

Althea sighed, “Your guess is a good as mine, my queen. She could awaken tomorrow, in a week, in a fortnight, or never, it is uncertain.”

Hippolyta sighed, “You have done the best that you could Althea, thank you.” The healer nodded and returned to her quarters kept just off of the medical wing. Even though her patient was unconscious, she would monitor the girl until she was no longer in her care. The queen turned to her daughter only to find that Diana had slipped through the curtain and was sitting next to the bed that held the unconscious girl. “Diana,” Hippolyta murmured, walking up next to the young Amazon. “Diana we have to go.”

“I don’t want to leave her alone mother,” Diana told her, not tearing her eyes away from the girl. “What if she wakes up alone?”

“You heard Althea, Diana, there is no telling when the girl will wake, are you planning to stay with her the entire time?” The determined look on her daughter’s face indicated that she was planning on staying next to the girl until she woke from her slumber. “You have decided then,” the queen stated, “You are to be the girl’s guide, protector on the island?”

Diana nodded firmly, “I found her, pulled her out of the waters, saved her, it is only right that I take on this position.”

The queen nodded, “Very well, your training will be suspended until the girl is awake and you will be her guide and protector until the senate and I decide what is to happen to her.”

“Thank you mother,” Diana replied, her eyes not straying from the blonde on the bed. She lingered in the hospital all night, staying strong during her vigil. Her hands found the girl’s and she softly started to run her fingers over smooth skin. It felt different from her own, warmer, softer, though she knew that her own hands have become rough due to her years of training in hand to hand combat and with the many weapons of the Amazon.

Althea had removed the girl’s clothing in order to better inspect her for injuries and had dressed her in a simple shift before placing her in the bed. Diana glanced around and found the blonde’s original dress folded neatly with the bundle she had been clutching to like it was her last lifeline. She contemplated poking around the bundle as a way to discover more about the unconscious girl, but she shook away the idea. Privacy was extremely important to the Amazons, and Diana determined it was better to learn about her new friend from the girl herself.

The morning sun was cresting over the balcony of the medical wing, casting golden rays through the room and falling over the two occupants of the room. The girl started to stir when sunlight fell across her face, catching her golden hair. Diana leaned forward just as eyelids started to flutter, and was rewarded when deep blue eyes opened. She remained still as the girl looked around, and only moved when the girl sat up and pressed herself back into the wall. “It's okay,” the brunette said quickly, “You're safe here.”

The girl responded in a language that Diana did not recognize, and she shook her head. “I'm sorry, I don't understand,” Diana said, frustration evident in her tone. The girl seemed to understand what she meant by her tone, and a downtrodden expression appeared on her face. Diana racked her brain trying to think of a way to communicate with the girl, she had never run into a language she didn’t know so this was a first for her, though it was also the first time she ever encountered anyone not an Amazon.

“Kara.” The girl’s voice broke Diana out of her thoughts and the princess looked up at the blonde girl. She was pointing at herself and staring at her with earnest blue eyes, “Kara Lara-El.”

“Kara,” Diana repeated, trying to copy the fluctuation of the word exactly the way the girl said it. Judging by the way her face lit up, she must’ve succeeded. “Diana,” she said, pointing to herself. “Princess,” she made a crown shape with her fingers, “of Themyscira.” She gestured fingers around in hopes that she was communicating that Themyscira was the entire island and not just the room they were in. Kara scrunched her face for a moment before repeating the words Diana had said, pointing at the brunette as she spoke. Diana nodded with a large smile on her face, eliciting a smile from the prone girl as well. The smile lit up her whole face causing Diana to marvel for a moment at how this girl seemed to radiate with light.

She mentally shook her head before pointing to different objects around the room and reciting the words in her own language, making sure Kara understood what she was saying. The girl would nod, repeat the word, and then say it in her own language. Diana took it all in like a sponge, Amazons were gifted with languages after all, and it seemed like Kara was equally as gifted. She would learn the blonde’s language, and teach her her own, she could do this, she had to.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the positive response to the first chapter! I was like well this is good, I have been thinking about this story for a long time. That being said, this might not be going in the direction that people think it will, which may intrigue people or just be like pft, I wish it had gone a different way, I'm going to go write something. That's great! Go do that! Writing something your way is the point! 
> 
> This idea has been building since Batman vs Superman, and then the Wonder Woman movie, and I had certain things I wanted to happen. Some of that stuff has been synthesized down to make a more coherent story, but hopefully it'll be enjoyable even if it doesn't go the way people think it will.

* * *

 

“So this girl, Kara,” Hippolyta started, looking down at her daughter from her throne. “She does not speak any of the languages you know?”

Diana shook her head, “No mother, and I tried several languages. I have started teaching her how to speak, read and write Greek, along with several other languages, and she appears to be gifted with them as well. She is teaching me her language at the same time, and it seems to be very advanced, despite us not knowing it.”

Hippolyta nodded, “This is good, she seems to have the intelligence of an Amazon even if she is not one, have you gathered any more information from her?”

“No, she’s reluctant to talk about where she is from, not that I can understand much from her now anyway. She appears devastated though, as if suffering from a great sadness, and she holds onto the bracers around her wrists.” Diana touched her own bracelets as she spoke.

“She has bracelets as well?”

The brunette nodded, “They’re smaller than mine, but they’re so beautiful mother. I’ve never seen anything like them before.”

“You are building a strong connection with the girl then, that is good.”

“Have you or the council decided what is going to be done with Kara?” Diana asked, “We can’t just kick her out, make her leave, it doesn’t seem like she has anywhere else to go.”

“We haven’t made any decisions yet Diana, but I can assure you that we aren’t just going to kick her out,” Hippolyta assured her daughter, stepping down from her throne. “She might not be an Amazon, but she’s just a child, and children are sacred to the Amazons, as you well know.”

“But she will not always be a child Mother, what will you do when she is grown?”

Hippolyta sighed and set her hands on her daughter’s shoulder, “I do not know Diana. Amazons are immortal, so I do not know what will happen to the girl, to Kara, especially since we don’t know where she is from or really anything about her. Just continue to watch over her and teach her for now.”

“Yes mother,” Diana nodded before striding out of the throne room and out of the palace. After Kara had been cleared to leave the hospital a few days previous, her care had been charged to Pythia, a silver haired Amazon. The woman was a natural mother but unfortunately never had the chance to raise a child when she was mortal, and it was impossible on the island of the Amazons. Her mother sculpted her out of clay and she had been the only child, until she pulled Kara out of the sea. 

She reached the house not too far away from the palace and knocked lightly on the simple, wooden door. Pythia answered and smiled at the young princess, “Good morning Diana.”

“Good morning Pythia, is Kara awake yet?”

The woman nodded, her eyes sparkling with laughter, “Of course, the girl rose with the sun. I believe she is still up out on the balcony performing some kind of ritual. She has been teaching me a little of her language, and we have been working more on Greek, but I don’t know as much of her language as you do obviously. Maybe she’ll explain it to you?”

“She is progressing quickly at learning our language, and I am learning hers so perhaps.” Diana gestured up to the second level of Pythia’s house, “May I go up and see her?”

“Yes, of course Princess, she is your charge, I’m just her caregiver,” the woman waved the young Amazon towards the stairs.

Diana took the stairs two steps at a time until she was on the upper floor. She found the blonde girl kneeling on the balcony floor, her face and hands outstretched towards the sun as it shone down on her, bathing her in a golden light. The Amazon princess had never seen someone quite like the other girl, someone who shone with light like the gods, such a kind-hearted soul, but also with a heart wrenching sadness that seemed all encompassing. She didn’t know what to make of the girl, but she was determined to get to know her. There weren’t any other children on the island, so she relished the chance at having someone who own age. “Kara,” she greeted softly, making sure to keep the same inflection in the name that the girl had used.

Blue eyes opened and looked over at her, a small smile on her face. “Greetings Diana,” she intoned, her words holding a thick accent but still recognizable.

“You’ve been practicing,” Diana said slowly, causing the blonde girl to smile.

“Yes Pythia has been… helping me,” Kara replied. She winced a little and rubbed at her ears as she heard sounds from all over the island echoing through her eardrums. She could hear clanging of metal, voices, footsteps and other strange sounds she had never encountered before. Fortunately night was quiet with only the occasional shifting or else she would never be able to sleep.

“Would you like to come out with me today?” Diana asked, “If you are feeling well of course, I could show you the island.”

Kara missed a few of the words but she understood the basic meaning that Diana wanted to show her around. The blonde nodded and took the helping hand from the older girl, allowing her to pull her off the ground. She located the pieces of cloth that Pythia had given her that she understood to be clothes of some sort, though nothing like she had ever seen. When she first awoke in the strange room and saw Diana looking down at her, she didn’t have much to think about other than trying to learn the language the other girl was speaking.

Later, when she was alone with her thoughts, Kara reviewed everything she had learned from the older girl and everything she had already known. Her name, her language, the stars shining at night, she knew these things. She remembered her mother’s voice, the way she would brush her hands through Kara’s hair as she was soothing a nightmare. She knew her father’s laugh, the way the woman spoke and gestured towards the stars, teaching her the stories spoken of in those lights. Kara knew these things as she knew the very breath in her body, but she couldn’t remember their faces, where she was from other than far from Diana and Themyscira, a whole other world.

Tears rolled silently down her face as she sobbed, she couldn’t remember her own parents, her home. They were just blurry memories and shapes, nothing that she could clearly identify. She could hear nearly everything said around the island, all of the sounds, from the softest footstep to the loudest clash of weapons. Every now and then when she lost focus or focused too hard, she could see through buildings, trees, people… It was a horrifying experience, and she pressed her hands into her eyes until she got it to stop. She knew she was different than the women around her, she knew that she came from somewhere else, another world, but she didn’t know why that made her different. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, and she was afraid of telling anyone in fear that they would send her away.

“Kara.” The blonde glanced over towards the door at the sound of her name and found Pythia standing in the doorway staring in at her in concern. “Are you well?” The woman asked, rubbing her back and lightly carding her fingers through blonde hair.

The blonde stiffened slightly at the touch, before sinking into the comfort provided by the older woman. Her skin was hypersensitive to touch, but the soft strokes were soothing and her body relaxed. Unfortunately it also broke the dam holding back the majority of her emotions and she started to sob into her pillow, her tears soaking down into the soft furs and cloth. “I don’t know… I don’t understand…” She gasped out desperately, reverting to her own language. “Nothing is clear, I don’t remember, but everything hurts, the sadness, the loneliness, the emptiness… It’s gone, everything…”

She didn’t know where she was from, she could barely remember her own parents, her home. She didn’t know why she was sent away or why she had abilities others around her didn’t seem to have. She was different, she knew that, she was alone, and it was finally sinking in that she was utterly lost in a strange, new place. Utterly and completely alone.

For the first time in her long life, Pythia was lost as to what to do. She had longed to be a mother, to fulfill that caregiver role for someone, a child, to be able to soothe aches and comfort fears. Now that she was presented the opportunity to care for someone, a child, she didn’t know what to do. “It’s alright Kara,” Pythia murmured, holding a blonde head to her chest. She didn’t know everything that Kara was saying, but she picked up enough of her native language to know that the girl was distressed, that she didn’t understand. The Amazon didn’t know to what Kara was referring, the language, the culture, her own past, but she knew that she had to reassure the girl, calm her. She desperately longed for a child and this was her chance to be a mother, in this she would not fail.

Kara snuggled into her new mother’s touch as she cried, the soft touches soothing on her sensitive skin. When Diana had introduced her to Pythia, she had told her the silver haired woman would take care of her, and Kara understood that to mean the woman was to be her mother. Tears fell harder as she realized that she could barely remember her own mother and father, their faces blurred in her memory, their voices whispers, but their touches, soft and warm, much like the woman holding her at present. She rubbed her face briefly on the silk clad leg, and looked up at the woman, her eyes still red and teary. “Ieiu,” she whispered before her mouth formed around the strange letters, “Mother.”

Pythia’s breath hitched in her throat at the word and tears filled her eyes, but she knew that she had to hold it together, Kara needed her, needed her to be strong right now as she fell apart. “Yes, I’m your mother now Kara,” she said, keeping her words simple, ones she knew the girl would know. “I’ll always be here for you, to help you, comfort you. I can’t replace your parents, but we can be family Kara.”

“Family,” Kara repeated, the word unfamiliar. The sentiment behind the word was recognizable though so she quickly identified the word. “Zehdh,” she repeated, nodding her head. “Family, home.”

“Yes,” Pythia murmured, “Home, you’re safe, you’re home.”

 

* * *

 

“Why are you not training like the other… Amazons?” Kara asked, her words, though still slow and spoken with a heavy accent, were much more advanced and coherent than when she arrived on the island over a moon’s cycle ago.

“My training has been suspended while I help you adjust to Themyscira,” Diana responded, gazing out over the field of women her aunt continually trained and kept in top shape. Years ago she stood on this same ledge overlooking the field, and copied the movements of the warriors, wanting to be just like them, wanting to be strong like them. She longed to be able to defend the world of men from the influence of Ares, to liberate them from his evil influence should he return. Her mission was slightly derailed with the appearance of a blonde girl dropped straight from the stars, and while she was displeased that she couldn’t continue training though she fought with her mother for so long to allow her to do so, Diana could not feel displeasure when bright blue eyes gazed up at her in curiosity and wonder. 

Kara cocked her head and stared at Diana in confusion, a small wrinkle forming between her eyebrows as she thought about what the brunette just said. Diana fought down the urge to smooth it away with her fingertips, and let the girl think about whatever it was she wanted to say. “Why should helping me keep you from training with the other warriors?” Kara asked.

“It…” Diana paused, trying to discern how to answer the question. “It is partly to do with our culture, but I found you, I rescued you, which makes me responsible for you. My other duties are secondary to my responsibility to you, that includes my duties in court and in training.”

“You should be allowed to train Diana, it’s clear that you love it and miss it.” Kara glanced down at the field, her mind recalling murky memories of a tall woman showing her how to use a short sword.

The princess just shook her head, “No, I will not resume my training until you are fully comfortable here, it would be a dishonor to my name and my mother if I were to fail in my duty.”

“What if…” Kara started, unsure as to how to continue. “What if I was to train with you? Would you be able to train and complete your duties at the same time?”

“I…” Diana paused, “I am unsure, I will speak to my mother about it, and Pythia of course since she has been selected as your guardian. You are not an Amazon, so I am unsure as to how we are to treat you as opposed to the rest of the sisters.”

“I understand,” the blonde replied, ducking her head. “I am a stranger to these lands, I am simply grateful that you have taken me in and shown such kindness to me at all.”

“No Kara, I- We are glad to help you. It would have been wrong for us to turn you away when you needed help, especially since it is clear that you are not of the world of man.”

The blonde tilted her head at Diana’s words; she had heard that phrase before, ‘the world of man,’ ever since she came to the island, but she never really understood what it meant. “What does that mean?” Kara asked, “‘The world of man?’ What is that?”

Diana shifted her eyes from the girl and stared out over the field full of warriors towards the ocean where the waves were crashing against the rocks. “There’s a book in the palace,” she said after a few minutes. “My mother used to tell me the story when I was little, it’s what drove me to be a warrior. It can probably explain more about the history of our world than I can really describe.”

“Why is it in the palace and not the… library?” Kara asked, walking with Diana back towards the palace.

“It is an artifact of our history, one that my mother likes to keep close,” the princess explained. “And it was technically a bedtime story for me, I think it might still be in my chambers actually.” The two made their way towards the palace, running through the streets, Kara keeping up with Diana perfectly, though neither noticed it was at a faster than normal pace. They reached the palace and Diana showed her around the main areas, nodding at the guards as they passed, glaring at them as they continued to look at her blonde friend suspiciously.

She had never brought Kara to the palace in the month that she had been on Themyscira, she usually went to see her at Pythia’s residence. Part of Diana wanted to protect the girl from the scrutinizing looks from the guards, and her mother and aunt as much as possible. She knew that they wouldn’t hurt Kara on purpose, but they might inadvertently hurt the girl by asking questions she can’t answer. “These are my chambers,” Diana said, escorting the girl through the doorway. “It’s a little bare, but I spend most of my time out on the fields before you came anyway.” Diana quickly located the book on her shelf and motioned Kara over to sit on the bed with her. “On our world,” she began, “The gods created everything, including mankind. They were just and good as Zeus created them to be, until the god of war, Ares, corrupted them. They fought, warred against each other, set out to destroy the world. That is when Zeus created us, the Amazons, to turn people back into what they were, and this island, Paradise Island, Themyscira was created. There was a great war between the gods, and they fell to Ares’s blade, one by one, until he was gravely injured by Zeus.” She paused for a moment as she stroked the images in the book, “Zeus used the last of his power to give us a weapon to be used against Ares for when he rose again and started another war, the war to end all wars.”

“So the Amazons are warriors destined to protect mankind, other humans?” Kara asked.

“Yes, most of the Amazons were women that were hurt by men or killed on the field of battle, then resurrected as warriors, my mother Hippolyta is the queen and her sister Antiope is her general. She is responsible for training all of us for battle,” Diana continued, closing the book and setting it aside.

“Including you?” Kara asked, “But you’re so much younger than the others.”

“No, I’m different, I’m the first and only child on the island, before you of course,” the princess explained. “My mother sculpted me out of clay and asked for the gods to bring me to life.” She paused for a moment and ran her fingers along the edge of the book, “I’ll never be like the rest of the Amazons, not like a real Amazon.”

“You’re real to me,” Kara murmured, “More real than most of the people I’ve met so far, other than mother. I haven’t met many people yet though…”

Diana laughed, “Trust me, people are curious about you and have been wanting to meet you, but I think that they’re scared away by Pythia and myself.”

“Why?”

“I am the princess, people typically steer clear from me, and Pythia…” Diana smirked, “Pythia might seem soft, but she is not one to be trifled with.” At the confused look on Kara’s face, she realized that she used a word the blonde wasn’t familiar with, “Um, she’s very intimidating?”

“Ah,” Kara’s eyes cleared, “Well she does seem to be seem to be the strong type, I am grateful to have such a woman as my new mother.” She glanced away and her eyes clouded again, “I only hope that my own parents would approve…”

“Do you not remember anything about them? About where you lived before falling out of the sky?”

Kara shook her head sadly, “No, just feelings, nothing for certain. I remember my mother’s hands, my father’s voice, the world shaking, then bright, spinning flashes of light, flying through air… through space? And then nothing.”

Diana knew, well, more she hoped that this girl was one of the star people in the story of Mnemosyne’s scroll, rather than just someone from the world of man. She had an air around her, something different, something extraordinary that Diana had never seen before, so she hoped that she was more than a normal human. She was, she was someone from the stars, but she couldn’t remember them. The princess didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. Disappointed for herself that she couldn’t learn more about the star people, or relieved because the girl couldn’t remember whatever it was the caused her to come here, something obviously horrific.

“I didn’t believe it when the guards had said that you had returned Diana,” Hippolyta’s voice came, drawing the attention of the two girls. The queen was standing in the doorway to Diana’s room, her outer cloaked had been removed and her stance was relaxed in comparison to when she was out in public.

“Mother!” Diana scrambled off her bed, immediately followed by Kara and the two bowed slightly to the older woman.

“No no, none of that my daughter,” Hippolyta told them, walking further into the room. Diana lifted her head and found her mother staring at her tenderly, stroking her hair softly before her gaze shifted to the girl hidden slightly behind the Amazon princess. She stiffened slightly at the curious, but hard look on her mother’s face as she assessed the girl, and nudged Kara behind her a bit more, an action that did not go unnoticed by her mother. “You’re protective instincts are admirable Diana, especially since the girl is your charge, but surely you would not reject your queen’s desire to know the newest inhabitant of Themyscira?”

“It would depend on the queen’s intentions,” Diana replied evenly, “because it is as you said, she is my charge.”

A slight smile threatened to crack Hippolyta’s face but she pushed it down. “I see,” she replied. “Well, I promise that my intentions are pure, I simply want to know the girl that has consumed all of your free time and caused you to be inside away from watching the warriors train.”

“I wanted to show Kara the history of our people is all,” Diana grumbled, and Kara giggled slightly, releasing her tunic from her desperate grasp to step out from behind the taller woman.

“I am Kara, your majesty,” the blonde replied nervously, her eyes flitting around. Her fingers nervously pulled at the bands on her wrist, drawing the queen’s attention to them.

“Are you settling in well?” Hippolyta asked rather than questioning the girl on the bracelets around her wrist. They looked too large for her, but the queen didn’t doubt she would grow into them. The metal was unlike anything she had seen in her days, it shone like silver but was dark like forged iron. The markings around the bands were also alien to her, but Diana did tell her that the girl spoke a foreign tongue.

“Yes your Ma-Majesty,” Kara winced as she stuttered over the words. The concept of royalty felt odd to her, unusual, like where she lived before didn’t have a monarchy or anything similar.

“Good,” Hippolyta nodded, “My daughter is doing her duty then as your guide? And Pythia was charged with your care correct?”

“Um, yes, she has been a good mother so far,” Kara nodded, “And Diana has been great showing me around, though many do not speak to us when we are out.”

“That would be my daughter and Pythia’s influence,” Hippolyta laughed, “The two can be quite intimidating when they want, and Pythia especially is concerned that someone would say something that would make you think you are not welcome here.”

“Am I?” Kara asked hesitantly, “Welcome here?”

Hippolyta looked startled at the question and Diana bristled at the insinuation that Kara would be unwelcome by them and was set to staunchly refute the thought when her mother beat her to it. “Of course you are welcome here Kara,” the queen stated gently, kneeling before the girl. She set her hand gently on Kara’s shoulder and stared into crystal blue eyes, “You are welcome here Kara, children are sacred to the Amazons. I have no doubt that many of them are just waiting for the chance to talk to you, and are hovering just on the periphery waiting for their chance.”

“You think so?” Kara asked, her face scrunched in worry and confusion.

“I do,” Hippolyta nodded. Her hand left Kara’s shoulder and drifted down to the band around Kara’s wrist, hesitantly touching the material. “Diana has informed me that you do not remember much of your life before, but can you tell me about these?”

Kara glanced down at the metal bands that encircled her wrists loosely, and moved up and down her arm every time she moved. She had thought about taking them off because the movement grated on her already sensitized skin, but a brief, blurry memory halted that line of thought. “They,” she started, unsure about what to say. “They belonged to my parents, my mother and father, they were their joining bands.”

“Joining bands,” Hippolyta murmured, “Marriage?”

The blonde girl nodded, “It was tradition for intendeds to stand before the jewel of truth and honor, swear love and fealty to each other, and exchange bracelets to join their houses.”

“That is a very unique look on a marriage ceremony,” the Queen mused, standing up. “Not completely unlike the ones I have witnessed in the past, though things are looser here on Themyscira.” She gave the girl an appraising look, “You are remembering more of your past then?”

Shrugging, Kara glanced away, “Small things, lessons, culture, nothing important, nothing about my parents or where I'm from, what it was called.”

“I'm sure with time it will come back to you,” Hippolyta assured her. She braced her hand on Kara’s shoulder and stood up, fingering silver streaked blonde hair momentarily before letting go of the girl completely. “As you are a guest on Paradise Island, you have free rein to wander where you choose, except for the sacred places, though Diana knows better than to take you there. After you have settled a bit longer, and more of your memories have returned, the senate and I will discuss what we’re to do with you, though I have a feeling Pythia may fight us all if we do not permit her to continue to care for you.”

“She was a very fierce warrior mother,” Diana nodded, agreeing with the woman.

“And still is, despite the fact that she no longer trains with Antiope’s warriors,” the queen continued before turning back to Kara. “Now, if you’ll forgive me, I must take my leave, there are matters I must attend to.”

“Ah, wait, your majesty,” Kara called to her unthinkingly. When Hippolyta turned to her, Kara flushed and ducked her eyes. “Um, I was wondering if you would permit Diana to continue her training? I know she misses it, it is obvious every time we pass the training grounds.”

“She is your guide,” Hippolyta answered, “Her primary duty is to make sure that you adjust to Themyscira with as little problem as possible. She is responsible for you.”

“But what if I was there too?” Kara continued. “If not training then at least as a bystander.”

“Kara no!” Diana cried, “You could get hurt, you're not… you're not used to our ways, the warriors could hurt you.”

“But you are a warrior culture, the best way for me to fit in is if I train,” Kara countered. “And I could always just be there, you shouldn't have to give up what you love just because you found me after I dropped out of the sky.”

“Silence,” Hippolyta ordered before the two could continue arguing. “You both make excellent points. Kara, I'm afraid that training is something that must be decided on by the Senate and myself once you've settled in more, so it isn't something that I can decide on right now. Diana is right in that aspect, it could be too dangerous, you might get hurt.” Seeing the crestfallen look on the young blonde’s face caused her heart to ache, but the slightly relieved expression on her daughter's would need to be revisited. “However, you also have a point that we are a warrior culture, and to fit in, you need to do more than learn our language and history.” She studied both girls for a moment before continuing, “I will permit you, Diana, to return to training, so long as Pythia agrees to accompany Kara to the training grounds with you, to keep her safe from wayward weapons, and to instruct her in basic self defense. Would this be permissible to you both?” Diana and Kara nodded, and Hippolyta quirked her brow at the two of them, before nodding again and taking her leave. 

Kara glanced at Diana, fidgeting slightly, “Are you angry with me? For asking her to let you continue your training? I know you said that you would ask her but…”

“It’s alright Kara, I know you’re concerned about me,” Diana interrupted, squeezing her hand. “I am concerned about you training though since you are not an Amazon, you could get hurt, and how would I face Pythia if I failed in my duties as your guide and protector?”

“I’ll ask Pythia, and I will tell you what she says when you arrive for lessons tomorrow,” Kara bounced.

Diana nodded, “Very well, thank you for thinking of me.” She glanced out the window and saw the sun sinking below the horizon. “It is late, I will return you to Pythia’s for evening meal.”

The two set out from the palace, wandering through the streets as lanterns and torches were lit. Many Amazons were turning in for the night, while others were staying out enjoying the cool weather of the evening and the view of the stars above. “Thanks for walking me home Diana,” Kara said, softly kissing the older girl’s cheek before slipping into the house. Pythia smirked at the dazed princess, and gave her a wink and closed the door on her, leaving Diana standing outside staring at the house, her mind lost.

 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating schedule every other weekend, usually Friday night for me, until I can get further along and stuff gets written faster.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't anywhere with internet yesterday so couldn't update, so I'm updating today instead. Getting great feedback for the story, you guys are asking pretty interesting questions about what's happening, so just know that I have a plan that I'm following.

* * *

 

“Why are the trainers so much harder on Diana than anyone else?” Kara asked Pythia from the sidelines as they watched the brunette girl repeatedly getting tossed around the arena and put on the ground.

Pythia hummed a bit, trying to figure out how to answer the girl’s question. She was Hippolyta and Antiope’s oldest friend, their closest confidante, and knew many of the secrets of the Amazons along with the queen and her commanding general. She knew the truth of Diana’s origin and her destiny, but those that did know were sworn to secrecy and the story of the queen sculpting the princess out of clay spread. “She is the Princess of the Amazons,” Pythia said finally, “Hippolyta initially didn’t want her to train, but Antiope trained her in secret. Eventually the queen found out, and she conceded to Diana’s training with stipulation that she is trained harder than any other Amazon.” The woman took in the concerned look on Kara’s face and set a comforting hand on her shoulder, drawing crystal blue eyes up to her face, “Don’t fear Kara, Diana is quite capable, and she’ll make a fine warrior someday.”

“Will she need to be a warrior though?” Kara asked, “This land, it is called Paradise Island is it not? Is there a need for warriors here?”

“There is always a need for warriors Kara,” Pythia told her. “This island may be safe, but the world outside it is not. I am not naive enough to believe that we will always be able to remain safe in this paradise, untouched by the world of man. There might also come a time when those of us might venture away from this island to fight, that is why we train.” She squeezed Kara’s shoulder comfortingly, “You as well may chose to leave us one day, so while the council has yet to meet to decide if you will be allowed to train with the warriors, I will teach you basic self-defense with a staff.”

Kara nodded and took Pythia’s hand as she led the girl away from the field. She took another look at her friend, watching as she caught several arrows before firing her own bow. The blonde hoped that she could learn to be a warrior and make the older girl proud. Pythia led her away from the city and other Amazons out to a remote field that looked like it had been used as a training field years ago but was now overgrown with weeds. “I brought these out here earlier,” Pythia said, picking up the two staves from a small cleared space. “This is where Hippolyta, Antiope, and I originally trained, starting much like you with just staves, though this was back before this land became a hidden island, back before we became what we are.”

She spun the staff around a bit, making strong firm movements, ending in the defensive stance with her feet firmly planted in the ground. Pythia breathed out a sigh at feeling a weapon in her hand again, something she hasn’t done in a long time. “Before you learn how to use a staff,” she said, straightening to a relaxed stance. “You must learn to train your muscles, your endurance.”

The blonde frowned at the new words, but carefully picked up the second staff and adopted a similar pose to the woman. When she swung the staff down, Kara accidentally swung too far and struck the ground. The impact caused the staff to shatter completely as it knocked her back from the collision. “Kara!” Pythia cried, running over to her charge, “Are you alright?” She knelt next to the girl and helped her sit up.

“I’m fine, I am,” Kara waved away her concerns. “I’m sorry I broke the staff though.”

“There was probably a fault in the wood, it’s not your fault, but we’ll skip working with a staff today.” She picked up a large stone that was nearby and handed it to Kara, “Carry this up and down the hill for me and work your way up to a run. It’ll help build endurance.”

Kara nodded and took the rock before starting up the hill, moving quickly to a jog as she reached the top before starting back down. It was difficult, not because the rock was heavy, but because the weight was awkward running down hill and threw off her balance. She fumbled a few laps before Kara figured out how to adjust the rock in her grasp to allow the weight to distribute easily running both up and down hill.

Pythia observed the girl as she completed laps on the hill before directing her to add in laps around the field to her loop. She hadn’t been around children in a long time, not since before the great war between the gods, but the vague memories she had, she knew that what she was witnessing with Kara was not normal. The girl had completed twenty laps up and down the hill, and was on her tenth lap around the field without showing any indication of tiredness or slowing down. She glanced over to where the broken staff lay in pieces on the ground, and her eyes widened at the sight of a small crater left where it struck rock and earth. She knew that she should inform the queen and the senate that the girl was more than she appeared, but Pythia was reluctant to do so. If they knew that Kara seemed different, was different, they might take her away, send her out from Themyscira where neither she nor Diana would be able to find her, protect her. She finally had a daughter, a child of her own, and she wouldn’t let the council or even the queen take Kara from her.

 

* * *

 

“I see now that the best way to get you to complete your lessons, Diana, is to make sure you have someone with you that also needs help,” Calliope muttered, shaking her head. “At least I know that you've learned the material through helping Kara, but have you even looked at your own lessons?” The redhead set her hands on her hips as she stared down at her two charges, only one of whom was paying her any attention. “Diana!” 

The dark haired girl’s head popped up and she stared at her tutor in confusion, “Ah, forgive me Calliope, but I have been working on my lessons, I’ve been teaching Kara since she finished hers already. She’s been making changes and corrections to them, particularly the maths and sciences.”

“Really?” Calliope murmured, turning to the blonde. “What changes have you made?”

Kara gulped and shakily handed over the sheaves of parchment and papyrus, pointing to where the main changes were made in the logic of the mathematical equations and thinking of Greek philosophers and scientists. She recognized most of what Calliope and Diana had been teaching her from her own studies that floated idly through her mind, many she recalled learning as a child.

“This is remarkable,” Calliope murmured, glancing through the notations. “How do you know such things? They appear correct but they are so fundamentally different than anything we have dealt with here. These are complex formulas and calculations.”

“I…” Kara started, unsure as to what to say. “I remember learning these as a child, when I was younger.”

“You must've come from a society that greatly valued education for you to learn such things at a young age.” Their tutor sifted through a few scrolls before pulling out more of the advanced philosophies, sciences and literature.

“I…” Kara’s voice trailed off. “I think so, I remember learning things, tutors at a young age, some of their lessons flash through my mind but it’s still so cloudy.” She shook her head as if to rid herself of the invisible clouds that fogged her mind. “I wish I could remember more.”

“You remembered something, that is what is important.”

Calliope wasn’t paying attention to the two girls, instead she was reading over the notes that Kara had made to the formulas on the scroll. “I must inform the Queen and the senate of this, you both are dismissed.” The woman hurried out of the library, leaving the two girls at the table with their assignments. 

“Is this how your lessons normally go?” Kara asked. It was the first time she had attended lessons with the older girl, Diana felt that she needed to learn more of the language before being subjected to Calliope’s educational ministrations. 

“No, normally Calliope takes pleasure in prolonging my stay here with her and the scrolls for as long as possible.” Diana stared after the woman in confusion for a moment before another thought distracted her. “Kara, I want to show you something.”

“What?” 

The older girl didn’t answer, just moved to rummage through the different scrolls Calliope had placed on the table. “Ah, here it is,” she said before returning to where Kara was seated. “This is one of the oldest scrolls in our collection. It tells of a time before the Amazons, many believed it to be nothing more than a legend, just a story, but I think it’s true.”

Kara frowned at the unfamiliar characters decorating the papyrus but her eyes stopped on the drawings, and focused on something that was familiar. Her fingers carefully traced over the glyph that was drawn on the chests of the figures. “Wisdom,” she said as she looked at the glyph. “That’s what this means, wisdom, like the search for knowledge.”

“You know this symbol?” Diana questioned, excitement welling within her.

“It looks familiar, and these other symbols,” Kara murmured, looking at the characters that dotted the page. “They’re a language, it’s a language.” Her eyes quickly flitted over the scroll, her mind instantly taking the words as they were recorded. “It talks about these people searching over the world, no… universe, traveling to different… planets, sharing and seeking knowledge. This was one of the last stops before returning to… I’m sorry, the last word is smudge out.”

“But do you not see? You understand these characters, something that the Amazonian scholars haven’t been able to figure out, this proves what I’ve believed since I found you, that you’re one of the Star people.” When Diana saw her questioning expression, she continued, “Star people, it’s what we call them, or used to, they were people that descended from the stars looking for knowledge and expanding our own. It is an old legend, before time when even my mother, Antiope or Phythia were alive, and they are among the oldest here.”

“And you think I’m one of these… Star people?” Kara tested, still trying to understand the unfamiliar words.

“I’d hoped you were, there really isn’t any other explanation,” Diana replied. “I saw a light streaking across the sky, far above me, and then a… a type of ship, flying ship crashed down into the water. I had to smash through glass and metal to get you out.”

“Are you sure I’m not just someone from the world of man?” Kara returned. “It might have changed a lot since you all came to this island.”

“It has only been several hundred years since my birth,” the brunette countered. “Man’s world could not have changed much, especially since the devastating war between Ares and the gods, it must have wiped out many from the world of men.”

Kara didn’t think anything of her friend and protector being several hundred years old, everyone on the island that she has met so far has seen many annuals, she thought it was a common trait for the Amazon. “What other proof do you have?”

“Right in front of you,” she said. “You could not read or understand any of the languages we know from this world, so you must be one of the Star-people, since you can understand their language.” She pointed to the scroll again, “I think you might even have belonged to these people, the ones that came.”

“Is there anything other than this scroll about them on the island?” Kara asked, excitement welling within her. This might be the clue to the rest of her past, to remembering where she came from, her family.

“I do not know,” Diana said. “I have never seen anything, but I have not really been looking.” She bit her lip as she was thinking. “There is one place I know we’ll find something, but I do not know if it is possible.”

“Where?”

“The place where I found you.”

Kara blinked, “The ship? Is it not underwater at the bottom of the bay?”

“Yes, which is why it might be impossible to see if there’s more information there unless we can bring it up.” The blonde deflated and Diana instantly felt cords tugging on her heart, wanting her to find a way to help the girl, to make her smile again. She grabbed Kara’s hand and laced their fingers together, squeezing lightly. “We’ll find a way to bring it up and we’ll find the answers to where you’re from, I promise.”

“Thanks Diana,” Kara replied, squeezing her hand. 

Diana smiled down at the younger girl before tugging her away from the table. “Come, let us go before Calliope returns and believes that we are eager to endure more of this torture.”

“It’s not so bad Diana,” Kara giggled and the two left the library and archives, Mnemosyne glaring at them as they left for their giggling.

“You are right, it’s dreadful, I’d much rather be out training with the warriors,” Diana stated. “But mother has made training contingent on continuing my studies, at the very least to learn the languages of the World of Men.”

“How many languages are there?”

Diana crossed her eyes. “Far too many, and more are developing are the time with subtle differences between them that make them difficult to discern, but also beautiful in their own way. Not as beautiful as my native tongue of course.”

“I feel like my native language is superior, from what I can remember of it,” Kara countered, a teasing smile on her face. “Yours is too harsh, not as many lilting sounds.”

The brunette just shook her head and took her friend back to Pythia’s house, but the woman in question was out. “It’s still early,” Kara said, finding a small roll and two boiled eggs waiting for her on the table for when she was done with her lessons. “It’s barely past midday, what are we going to do with the rest of the day, especially since we’re supposed to be with Calliope.”

“If Pythia were here, we could have gone to the training grounds. I don’t want to leave you alone since you are not allowed to train with the Amazons yet.”

“I don’t mind Diana, especially since you love training, I can find something to do until Pythia returns.”

“No, it wouldn’t be right, I am responsible for you when Pythia is not available, plus I am your guide and friend. While training is exciting and exhilarating, it would not be right for me to go train and leaving you here.” She thought for a moment before an idea came to her. “You have not really seen much of the island other than Themyscira, so why don’t we go exploring and I can show you some of my favorite places.”

“I haven’t seen much beyond the city and the field where Pythia is tr-err,” Kara’s voice trailed off when she realized she mentioned something that she shouldn’t have. 

Diana glanced at her in confusion before realizing what she was going to say. “Pythia is training you?” At Kara’s hesitant nod, Diana quirked her head, “Well, I should have known, she considers herself to be your mother and under normal circumstances it would be her decision to train you or not.” She shook her head after a moment, “Anyway, we can travel to the forest, there are beautiful glades and waterfalls up around the mountain.”

“Are there any other cities other than Themyscira on the island?” Kara asked as Diana led her out of the house and through the streets.

“Not cities exactly, but there are Amazons that prefer to live in solitude, and some that live closer to the ocean to fish and collect plants from the water,” Diana explained. “We’re, all of us, we’re all warriors, but that doesn’t mean that we’re just warriors.” Diana led her back to the stables where she quickly saddled up her horse. “It’ll be faster to go by horse, and you will get some practice on horseback.”

“I don’t know…” Kara wasn’t afraid of the animals, in fact most of the animals on the island appeared to like her, but she had never ridden on a horse, not that she remembered.

Diana pulled herself up into the saddle and held her hand out for Kara to take it. “You’ll be fine, do you trust me?” Kara hesitated for another second before grabbing Diana’s hand and allowing the older girl to pull her up behind her on the saddle. “Make sure you hold on, Hermes can really fly.” She nudged the horse into a walk before urging him faster as he warmed up.

Kara clutched tightly to her friend until she grew usd to the rocking motion, and she pried her eyes open to watch the landscape pass by around her. The island truly was a paradise, the colors, the calmness around them, Kara almost couldn’t believe that the Amazons were allowing her to stay on the island with them, even if it was only temporary. “Everything is so beautiful,” Kara breathed out. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen colors this bright, the greens and blues are beautiful.” Her mind flashed to images of red light shining down on tall spires and dark purple mountains, casting everything with vivid shades of orange and red. She blinked and the image disappeared, leaving Kara to wonder if the vision was real or not. It was nothing like the island, or the world that Diana and Pythia told her about. This world was full of greens and blues, vibrancy and colors, no spires and buildings that thrust into the sky. She didn’t know if it supported the idea Diana had that she was from another world, one beyond the stars, or if she just imagined the whole thing, a world so entirely different from the one around her. 

Her thoughts were disrupted when the rocking motion of the horse was disrupted and stopped completely as Diana pulled him down to a walk. Kara’s eyes widened as she took in the scenery around her. They were in the forest far behind the palace, and the colors of the leaves were more vibrant the further under the canopy they went. The shadows turned them into a rich, dark green while the bursts of light streaming from above highlighted the yellow in the color, causing the trees to glow. A small waterfall cascaded down the rocks behind it, and fell into a pool below, the excess water trickling down a shallow stream towards the fields. 

“Wow,” she breathed as Diana helped her off the horse. “This place is beautiful.”

“It’s one of my favorite places to visit,” the older girl admitted. “The waterfall and the pool are too small for others to consider this a bathing pool, and it’s deeper into the forest than the other spots.”

“But you prefer the pools under the palace though,” Kara commented. Diana had taken her to the glowing pools a few times to bathe when she didn’t want to share the blonde girl with other curious Amazons. She knew that they only wanted to get to know the other child on the island, the one that arrived under mysterious circumstances and were basically harmless, but she didn’t want to expose her friend to their prodding and gossiping. 

Diana just shrugged instead of answering. “Would you like to explore some more or…?” She turned to look at her friend again only to find the blonde was testing the water with her toes. 

“It’s warm! Come on Diana!” Kara stripped her clothes and instantly jumped into the small pool. She stepped beneath the falling water and giggled as the warm stream struck her upturned face. 

Smirking, Diana shuked her own clothes and waded into the water after her friend. She flicked her hand in water, sending a wave towards the other girl that splashed on her back and down her legs. “Hey!” She flung water back at Diana, who retaliated just as quickly. The war continued until Diana dunked Kara under the water, and Kara yanked her under as well by grabbing her ankle and pulling her down. They both emerged laughing and trying to push the other under the water before finally deciding to get out and lay on the soft moss around the waterfall. 

“How high up does it go?” Kara asked. Her gaze followed the water up the rock until the heavy canopy of trees blocked her view. For a brief moment, she glanced through the leaves and trees, through the water and rock above until she was following the movement of the stars high in the sky. Her mouth drooped slightly as she gazed at the colors swirling in the heavens, but was brought back by Diana calling her name. 

“Kara, Kara!”

“Huh,” Kara snapped her head over to her friend and her eyesight refocused on what was around her. “Sorry, I guess I was lost in thought, what did you say?”

“The waterfall, it goes up a bit further before it reaches a small plateau, and the waterfall filters out from an underground spring in the mountain. We can climb up there if you want?”

“Really?”

“Yes, but it will be getting dark soon so we’ll have to hurry. Pythia will give me a sound thrashing if you aren’t back for the evening meal. And that bottomless pit of yours might start protesting as well.”

“It’s not a bottomless pit,” Kara grumbled but followed Diana up the cliff. They ascended easily up the wet rocks until they came to a small, flat overhang covered in moss and grass. The moss felt good against her bare skin, and Kara sunk down into it with a sigh as she looked at the darkening sky above. There was a thin sliver of red and gold on the horizon where the sun was sinking below the earth, while the rest of the sky was a blanket of dark blue and black with stars twinkling into existence. 

“That one is Scorpius,” Diana said as she pointed towards a grouping of stars.

Kara glanced at her curiously as she traced a design with her hands. “What do you mean?”

“They’re constellations, Calliope taught me,” the brunette explained. “They have stories, like that one.” She pointed to a different one, “That one is Sagittarius, the centaur archer, he’s pointing his bow at the scorpion’s heart.” She traced her finger over to the constellation she mentioned earlier. “You see that red star? That’s one of the key stars in Scorpius.” Kara looked closer as Diana traced the stars with her fingers and eventually she could see them, she saw the archer in the sky firing an arrow at the scorpion with its stinger poised and ready to sting.

“I think I remember something about this, my… my father taught me about constellations, but they were different than the ones here.” Kara stared up at the sky thoughtfully, “What other constellations are there?”

“Well you can see Heracles over there, and that one is Cygnus, but that one over there,” Diana pointed towards a cluster of stars in the north. “That one is my favorite, Aquila.”

“Aquila?”

“Hmm, the eagle, Aquila was the eagle that carried Zeus’s lightning bolts. Just imagine all of that power clutched in his talons, and he carried it with no problem whenever the gods went to battle and Zeus needed his bolts.”

“What happened to the gods, did they really die in the war with Ares?”

Diana nodded her head, “One by one they fell to Ares’s rage, only Zeus remained, but he used the last of his strength to give the Amazons a weapon to defeat Ares when he returns.”

Kara nodded, having heard the story before. “Do you think that time will ever come? It doesn’t seem like war will ever touch this island.”

“I hope it doesn’t, for your sake at least Kara, Ares is not one to be underestimated, and I don’t want you to ever have to deal with the troubles of war.”

“Sometimes troubles find us when we’re not looking Diana,” Kara told her. “I think… I think my aunt taught me that, that things happen beyond our control but it’s our decision whether to fight or hide away.”

“You’re remembering more about your family,” Diana commented. She rolled over so she could prop up on her elbows to look at her friend.

“Yeah, not a lot though, but something.” Kara shrugged, “You remind me a bit of my mother, she had dark hair like you do.”

“I’ll take that as a complement.” The older girl grinned before realizing how late it was. “Gods, Pythia is going to kill me if we don’t get you home soon.” Diana pushed herself off the ground and walked to the edge. “We just have to scale back dow-” Before she could finish, Kara jumped off the edge, and Diana could see her sailing through the canopy out of sight, followed by a low thud as she collided with the ground. She scrambled down the cliff as quickly as she dared, the entire time worried that she’d find her friend laying on the ground broken, or worse. When she reached the ground, she found that Kara had already dressed and was petting Hermes like she didn’t just jump off a cliff. “Are you alright?” Diana demanded as she approached the girl, grabbing her clothes along the way.

“Yes?” Kara replied, giving Diana a curious look. “Didn’t you say we had to get back quickly?”

“Ah, yes, but you shouldn’t jump off cliffs, what if you hurt yourself?”

Kara just shrugged and a thought entered Diana’s mind, how had her friend jumped off a cliff and not hurt herself?

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going with the idea that the Amazons are already fairly durable and strong, so most of their stuff is made to be durable for anyone hoping that Kara is breaking things with her powers. Also, I'm kind of tired of seeing that around in canon so I'm heading a different direction which will come into play later in the story.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got stuck a bit but I'm working through it, slowly but surely. I've got interesting plans for this story.

* * *

 

“So you’re saying that Kara, a child of only… thirteen annuals, was not only able to understand the complex mathematical formulas that you’ve been teaching Diana, but ‘fixed’ them?” Hippolyta clarified as she looked at her daughter’s tutor in confusion. She had been in a meeting with Antiope and several of the Senators when Calliope burst into the meeting room, an excited and agitated look on her face. She initially wondered why the woman was there instead of seeing to her daughter and her friend’s education, but her musings were answered when Calliope started speaking. 

“Amazing is it not?” Calliope continued. “The child is extremely intelligent. She has struggled a bit with our languages, but I feel that has more to do with how different it is to her native tongue. Diana has been helping in and in return, Kara is teaching the princess her language. I feel that the girl may be even more intelligent than we know, than she knows, who knows what else is in her head, locked behind the cloud of her missing memories.”

“Does this not concern you Calliope,” Acantha, one of the Senators, spoke. “Why would the girl know such things and how do you know that her changes are correct?”

“Excuse me Senator, but I am the one tasked with knowledge for our people and making sure that it is maintained,” Calliope stated, a hard glint in her eyes. “I may be a tutor now, but do not forget that while Mnemosyne may be the chief historian, I am the one in charge of our knowledge.”

“Of course, my apologies Calliope.” Acantha inclined her head in a show of respect. “But do understand that this situation is abnormal at best.”

“Acantha is right,” Delphi, another Senator, replied. “We know that the princess has grown attached to the girl, but she appeared so suddenly, we don’t know anything about her, other than what she has said or told Diana.”

“She has been living with Pythia,” Antiope pointed out. “Maybe she has observed more about the girl than we have since she has spent more time together.”

“Yes, I will send a messenger to Pythia’s house to collect her,” Hippolyta declared. She summoned the messenger and sent her on her way, but turned a worried eye on Antiope. “I believe we made a mistake in charging Pythia with Kara’s care.”

“Why do you say that sister?”

Hippolyta gave Antiope a wiry smile. “Pythia has always longed for children, and to give her one that might be taken away at a later point… You know the woman and what she can do…”

“Gods,” Antiope chuckled. “She would burn the island to the ground. Truthfully I would do the same in her position, and I would probably sit back and watch as she did it too.”

“Good to know where your loyalties lie sister.”

“Pythia is our oldest friend Hippolyta.”

The silver haired woman stepped into the meeting room, her stance and manner of walking reminiscent of the warrior she once was, reminding all in the room of how dangerous she could be. “My queen,” Pythia bowed slightly before the woman. “You wanted to see me?”

“Pythia, we were discussing your charge, Calliope has brought some interesting information to our attention and we would like to know more,” Hippolyta started, wary of the hard look in her friend’s eyes.

“What exactly would you like to know?” Her voice hard as steel.

“Don’t be like this Pythia, we have to know if they girl is a danger or not,” Acantha stated. “She came to our island unexpectedly, we have to know how and if she means us trouble.”

“And what if she does?” Pythia countered. “What if you perceive her to be dangerous, what are you going to do? Just send her away?”

“If we have to, our duty is to protect our sisters first,” Delphi said.

Pythia scoffed, “If that is what you believe, then you are unworthy of being Amazons, our duty is to protect people, and Kara is under my protection, I won’t allow you to send her away.”

“Pythia,” Hippolyta started.”We don’t want to send Kara away, I think that both you and Diana would revolt, and I don’t want to do that. But you must understand that we have to find out more about her, at least to discover if someone is missing her.”

The silver haired woman sighed and conceded that the queen had a point, despite the fact that she didn’t like it. “I just don’t want anyone to hurt her,” Pythia mumbled. “You haven’t been around her ‘Lyta, Annie, you haven’t heard her screams at night as memories haunt her, you haven’t held her as she cried out in the night. Something terrible happened to her and I won’t let you hurt her even more.”

Antiope and Hippolyta looked at each other; they knew that the situation was dire if Pythia was using their old nicknames. Whatever Kara had been through, it scarred her, left marks deep enough to influence her even without many of her memories, and to effect a battle hardened warrior like Pythia, it must have been devastating. Hippolyta sighed, knowing she would have to make a few concessions in order for the woman to cooperate. “Would you wait outside for a few minutes Pythia?” Hippolyta asked with a sigh. Once the silver-haired Amazon left, the queen looked at the other people in the room with her. “She’s not going to tell us anything until we promise not to send Kara away.”

“But how can we be sure she’s not a danger?” Delphi asked. “We know nothing about her.”

“Kara couldn’t harm a fly,” Calliope stated. “She’s sweet and kind, if a little sad at times and confused by our customs, but she means well.”

“She’s young enough that she could be taught our customs without it being too awkward,” Antiope added. “Though the question is, will they interfere with her own customs when she gets her memories back.”

“It would be impossible for us to know that Antiope,” the tutor retorted. “We are not oracles, we cannot tell the future.”

“But we can decide it,” Hippolyta said. She motioned to the guards at the door to send Pythia back into the room, and when the woman had returned, the queen spoke. “Pythia,” she started. “While I cannot speak for all Amazons, I will promise that I, as queen, will not allow any harm to come to… your daughter, on our island. I cannot promise that she will always stay, she may choose to leave in her own time, but I will not force her to go.” 

Pythia glanced around at the other faces gathered. While it looked like a few were not happy, it did not appear that they would go against their queen’s wishes. It wasn’t exactly the reassurance that she was looking for, but she knew that it was the only one she would get if the senate and the queen did not get the answers they were looking for. “I have been training her, Kara,” Pythia started. “Nothing like what Antiope puts the warriors through, or what she puts Diana through, but the basics. I felt it was unfair that her friend was off for training leaving Kara alone, so I took it on myself to teach her some things.”

Antiope smirked and Hippolyta sighed. “Of course you did,” the queen said, glaring at her sister. “Did Kara do anything strange when you were teaching her these… 'basics?’”

“Strange wouldn't be the right word,” Pythia replied slowly. “More like… remarkable.”

“Remarkable how?” Antiope prompted.

“She's… faster than what I'd expected her to be, and stronger. Her skill level was closer to what I'd expect from someone who had been strength and endurance training for a few years. Her speed though, I can't think of anything to explain that.”

The senators murmured amongst themselves while Antiope leaned closer to her sister. “Do you think she is like Diana.” She asked, her voice low.

Hippolyta shook her head, “No, I don't see how that is possible.” She tilted her head, “What was it that Diana said when she found her, that she was one of the star people?”

“That's just a story my queen,” Calliope stated. “A race of people that descended from the sky? The princess was fascinated with the legend when she first saw the scroll, maybe she got confused with what she saw?”

“My daughter wouldn't make up something like this,” Hippolyta said. “Perhaps it is due time that we speak to both Diana and Kara, find out more about how Kara came to be on a hidden island.” She turned towards Pythia, “Would you be able to bring Kara here tomorrow to speak with myself, Antiope, and some of the senators.”

“I do not want to overwhelm her with the full senate,” Pythia stated. “That would just scare her, she's already been through enough.”

“It will just be a few of us, you have my word,” Hippolyta promised. 

Pythia nodded and left the room, her thoughts consumed by the girl that she now considered her own. It had only been a short while, but she could not imagine being parted from Kara and would not allow anyone to hurt  _ her  _ daughter, not even her oldest friends. It was dark by the time she returned to her house, just in time to see Diana and Kara riding up on the former’s horse. 

“And just where have you two been?” She asked, her brow arched as an unimpressed look crossed her face.

“It is my fault,” Diana said as she helped Kara down from the horse. “I wanted to show Kara some of my favorite places around the island, and we lost track of time.”

“Well, I guess I cannot be too upset since I have just returned myself.” Pythia held out her hand and ushered the blonde into the house. “Are you staying for dinner Princess?”

“No, I should return, I believe that my mother is wishing of my presence.” The brunette nodded her head and led her horse back to the palace. 

Pythia shook her head and entered her house. Her child was already rummaging around the cold box looking for food, and she quickly shooed the girl out of the way while she pulled out some salted meat and fruit. Kara set into the food immediately and Pythia stared pensively at the girl. “Kara,” she started after a moment. “The queen summoned me today, she wanted to talk about you and your future here on the island.”

Kara toyed with the grapes in her hand for a moment before setting them down. “Are you going to send me away?” Kara asked, not looking up from the table.

The silver haired Amazon inhaled sharply at her words. “Why would you think that?” She asked.

Shrugging, Kara glanced away, still not looking at the older woman. “I hear things sometimes,” she said quietly. “Things I'm not supposed to hear, things other people don't want me to hear. I've heard some of the other Amazons talking, saying that they're wondering when Diana's mother, the queen, is going to send me away.” Kara finally looked up and saw the thunderous expression on the normally calm woman's face. “I don't think they meant anything by it, I think they sounded sad, almost like my being sent away was an inevitable thing.”

It is not, dear Kara, it is not,” Pythia soothed, taking Kara’s face in her hands. “The queen and the senators, they are concerned about how you came to be here, your past, they want to find out more about you is all.”

“But I don't remember anything.”

“I think you remember more than you think you do, dear one.” Pythia released her and waved her to keep eating. “But either way, I will not allow anything to happen to you Kara, you have my word.”

 

* * *

 

“Kara has done nothing wrong,” Diana defended, placing herself slightly in front of her friend to hide her from view of the council present in the room.

“Diana,” Hippolyta scolded. “While the defense of your friend is admirable, we are not here to see if Kara has done something wrong, we only want to find out if she has remembered anything about her past or where she is from.”

“But she can’t remember!”

“I remember a few things,” Kara replied quietly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. When she saw everyone was looking at her, she gulped. “Ah, um, I remember a bit about where I lived, I think… the sky was red, or the light shining down on everything was red anyway, and the mountains in the distance, they were a purple color. The… buildings rose up into the sky like…” She twirled her finger around, “Like spirals, spires? They were tall, but did not look like stone, not like the buildings here, they were shiny, metal maybe…”

The senators murmured amongst themselves while Antiope and Hippolyta looked at each other. Pythia lightly touched Kara’s shoulder, drawing the girl’s attention. “When did you remember this?” She asked, her voice low.

“Yesterday,” Kara replied. “I was with Diana, marveling at the greens and blues, and I just got an image in my mind, I did not know if it was real or not, but I think it was.”

“Diana,” Hippolyta started. “You said that you saw a… ship falling from the sky and then fished Kara out of the water, can you elaborate any more?”

The princess glanced over at her friend before looking back at her mother and firming her spine. “I had left lessons that day and gone out to the bluff on the north side of the island. It’s a good place to think, but then I saw something shiny streaking across the sky, something metal. It crashed into the ocean, and I jumped in after it to get a better look, that’s when I saw Kara unconscious inside the… craft. I beat on the glass until it broke and pulled her out, and quickly swam back to shore. I don’t know anything else beyond that though.”

“This is why you believed that she was one of the Star People of legend,” Hippolyta stated. “Because she fell from the sky?”

“Not just that, it was… the craft, it was unlike anything I had ever seen or heard about from your tales of Man’s World.” Diana turned to look at her friend again and grasped her hand. “And Kara,” she said after a moment. “Kara felt different, even if I hadn’t really met her yet, but she didn’t feel like anyone else I had ever encountered.”

The occupants of the room murmured amongst themselves for a few minutes before Antiope stood up and approached where Kara, Diana, and Pythia were standing. She squeezed Diana’s shoulder before kneeling down to look into Kara’s eyes, studying the girl intently. Kara stared back, unsure what the woman was doing, but Antiope just nodded and rose off the ground again. “Well Hippolyta, it looks like we know what we have to do,” Antiope said, turning towards her sister. “We’ll have to get that craft off the bottom of the bay.”

“That does appear to be the only way we’ll get any answers,” Hippolyta sighed. “Can you have some of your warriors look into it? And maybe some of the scholars, I imagine it will be difficult to raise from the bottom with water flooding it.”

“I thought you said that we couldn’t get to it,” Kara whispered to Diana. 

“We couldn’t, not alone,” Diana clarified.

“And there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to bring this ship up even if we do locate it,” Hippolyta cautioned them. “But we will do our best, we want to find out more about you as much as you do Kara, this I promise.”

“Mother never breaks her promises Kara,” Diana told her. “Never.”

 

* * *

 

Kara hugged her blanket to her chest, the same dark blue blanket that was pulled out of the ship with her when she landed. She had kept it with her every night while she slept, and took it with her whenever anything became too much. The weight and familiar feel of the fabric was comforting, and she clutched at it as she watched the Amazons working on the far bluff. It had been over a fortnight since the queen declared they were to find a way to raise her ship from the bottom of the bay, and the Amazons worked diligently during that time to come up with a solution. 

“It is alright Kara,” Diana said, grabbing her friend’s hand. “They know what they are doing.”

“I just don’t want anyone to get hurt, not for me,” Kara replied nervously, tightening her grip on the blanket in her hands.

“Althea is present to take care if anything happens.” Diana nodded to where the healer was standing. “But I don’t think anything terrible will happen, maybe just a few bruises. The engineers poured over the issue until they found the safest, and most effective way to raise the ship from beneath the water. They will succeed Kara.”

Kara was about to reply, but a commotion on the bluff drew her attention, and she turned her eyes to the scene. Several Amazons were gathered around a device that the Amazon architect and blacksmith worked together to build from the designs created by the engineers. The Amazons in the water would dive down to the wreckage and wrap chains around it, which would be brought back up and attach to the hoist device on the bluff. The hoist would bring it up to the surface of the water, and then they would push it to shore on logs. There was very little chance for error, but Kara couldn’t help but worry. These women had taken her in, helped her when she had no one to turn to, she didn’t want anything to happen to them. 

“Look they are starting,” Diana pointed as several of the women dived down into the water carrying thick chains. The two waited and watched, the surface still except for the slight movement of the waves and the swimmers monitoring the divers in the water. 

The blonde didn’t know how much time passed, minutes, hours, days, but she waited, she waited to see the ship she arrived in, the craft that she barely remembered. She hoped that it would hold answers to the gaps in her past, though she didn’t know if she truly wanted them. The images that haunted her at night nearly had her convinced that she was better not knowing. But one thing kept her asking questions, striving for answers, her parents. Kara wanted to be able to remember their faces, their voices, what it was like to be held by them, and why… why she wasn’t with them, why they weren’t with her. She had to believe that they sent her away from them for her own good, and that it wasn’t any other reason, that she ran away or… or that they sent her away because they didn’t want her.

“Kara.” They heard Pythia’s voice and turned to see the woman walking up to them. “They have secured your ship, and will start bringing it up soon. Apparently it’s heavier than they thought, so they are having to make some adjustments with the hoist.”

“Are they alright?” Kara hurried out, a worried look on her face.

“Everyone is fine dear,” Pythia said, using a term that Kara has learned that typically means ‘dear child.’ It wasn’t something that the woman said often, but Kara treasured every time she did. She knew that this had to be hard on Pythia. She had heard whispers that the woman had always wanted a child but it wasn’t to be, so she knew that it had to be hard on her, investigating her past, a past that might take Kara away from her. 

Kara grabbed her hand and squeezed it, wanting to give the woman as much comfort as she could. No matter what was found about her past, Kara would be grateful for Pythia taking her in, treating her as one of her own. The surface of the water gurgled before breaking, a large form slowly revealed as it was cranked to the surface. Kara’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of the silver, metalic form hovering just above the surface of the waves. Her mind flashed to an image of the ship, silver and beautiful, glowing in red light, sitting, waiting calmly in a room. She was there looking between the ship and two blurry figures, the world shaking around them as loud explosions sounded in the background. The image shifted to herself, in the ship, looking back at the figures as she was rocketed out of the room, and launched into space; a bright light followed the moment, and the feeling of devastation filled her entire being.

“Kara, Kara!” Pythia said, shaking the girl’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” The blonde had started shaking at the first sight of the ship, and her eyes had a blank faraway look in her eyes. 

The blonde snapped her head around to look at the older woman, her eyes clearing up as she did. “I…” Kara started, unsure as to what to say. “I think something bad led me to be in that ship…”

“How do you know?”

“I… I saw it,” the blonde continued. “The world was shaking around me, explosions, my parents… I think… I think I was saying goodbye… There was a great flash of light, and nothing. I felt… I remember feeling sadness… no, something more than sadness, complete hopelessness, despair, devastation…” Her grip tightened around the blanket in her hand, and her other hand held tighter to Pythia. “What happened to me… to my family…”

Pythia released her hand and crouched down in front of Kara, her hands softly holding onto quaking arms. “Whatever happened to you, to your family, just remember that you are safe, you are here, with us, and we want you, we will keep you safe.”

Sniffling, Kara threw her arms around Pythia’s neck and held onto her, her tears soaking the woman’s tunic. Diana looked at the silver-haired Amazon in alarm, but Pythia just waved the princess away to give her some time with the crying blonde. “Kara,” Pythia soothed. “It’s alright, everything will be alright.” She ran her hands through soft blonde hair, the touch meant to help calm the girl down.

Eventually Kara’s crying lessened to sniffles and the tears subsided, and she pulled away from Pythia, her eyes red and puffy. “Feel better?” Pythia asked. 

“Yeah,” Kara nodded. “I do not know why I am crying.”

“Sometimes we cry when we’re overwhelmed,” the older woman said. “Some people punch and storm about, some cry, either way, it is good for us to let the emotions out somehow.” 

Kara rubbed at her eyes, “How do you deal with your emotions?”

“Oh, I cry, always have, it is irritating, especially when I am yelling at someone,” Pythia teased, squeezing Kara’s shoulders. “Your friend Diana though, and her mother and aunt, well, they are more of the punching kind of people.”

The girl let out a small laugh, a smile crossing her face as she wiped at her eyes. “I can see that, especially the general.”

“Antiope has always been like that, even when we were young,” Pythia whispered, a conspiratorial look on her face. “Do not let her scare you too much though, she is really just a big softie on the inside.”

Diana glanced over at her friend when she heard Kara start laughing, and found that her friend had her head pressed into Pythia’s chest, giggles escaping her. She focused back on the beach where the ship was being loaded on a cart to take it back to the city. When they were finished, she walked back over to Kara and Pythia. “They have loaded the ship on the cart, and they are taking it back to the palace, do you want to follow them?”

“Do you want to see the ship Kara?” Pythia asked. “No one would blame you if you do not.”

“I…” Kara started. “I want to see it, I have to. I have to know the truth, but even if I do not remember anything, I would still like to know where I came from, where it started.”

“Even if the answers bring you pain?” Diana pressed.

Kara gave her friend a wiry smile. “I have learned that if I am afraid of the answers, I should not ask the questions.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure to drop a comment!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the question is, will I give you any satisfactory answers in this chapter? When do I ever give satisfactory answers? Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate them, keep it up!

* * *

 

“Well it certainly is extraordinary,” Mnemosyne commented as she circled around the ship that had been brought into the palace courtyard. “Truly, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“This metal is certainly unique,” Calliope commented. “It is unlike anything the blacksmiths have been able to forge here.” She reached out to touch the ship, but as her fingers made contact with the vessel, it shuddered and groaned, sending a spark through the woman’s fingertips. “Ouch,” she hissed, pulling back from the ship. The warriors standing guard around the group instantly had their spears in hand pointing at the ship, ready for any perceived threat. “It’s alright, it’s alright,” Calliope waved them down before they could charge. “I think it has self-defense capabilities.” She turned around to look at the queen standing just outside the circle of guards. “The only one that will be able to safely touch it will be Kara.”

“Diana said she touched it though,” Hippolyta pointed out. “When she was breaking Kara out of it.”

Calliope shrugged. “Maybe it is intelligent somehow, and the defense system was not inplace with Kara inside it.”

“How can a ship, a… a machine be intelligent?” Antiope asked.

“If we’re prescribing to the theory that Kara is from another world, then there is every chance that wherever she’s from is a much older culture that would have had more time to grow and develop. It is possible that they have developed items…” Calliope mulled over the right word to use. “Technology? Yes technology, that they have created such things capable of thought.”

“Remarkable,” Hippolyta breathed. “Is Kara coming though? She was not there when the ship was pulled out of the water.”

“My queen, she was observing up on the bluff with Pythia and your daughter,” one of the guards told her. “The girl appeared to be distressed, so they may be some time.”

“It is only reasonable,” Antiope murmured as her sister paced around. “We forget sometimes because of Diana, but Kara is still a child, I imagine this whole situation has finally caught up to her. She is a girl dropped into an entire new world, one where she did not know the language and had to learn and adjust to being away from her family, and not even knowing anything of her own past. I think… I think we have done a great disservice to that girl.”

Hippolyta didn’t reply, but she found herself agreeing with her sister. The two looked up when there was a slight commotion on the other side of the courtyard, and they saw Kara walking in with Diana and Pythia on either side. The blonde girl was clutching onto her adoptive mother, and staring at the ship fearfully. 

Kara froze as she stood in front of the ship, Pythia’s hand warm and firm in her hand, and Diana steady at her side. She squeezed the hand in hers before letting go and slowly moving towards the ship. The blonde slowly studied the craft for a moment, taking in the size and shape, and reached out to touch one of the wings. The gathered guard tensed again, but nothing happened, the ship merely hummed and vibrated and settled down further in the ground. As Kara touched it though, her mind went back to that place, with red light shining down on her and the world shaking. Her vision disappeared and she moved on instinct up into the chamber. 

When her body dropped into the seat, it all came back to her, her world, her her home, her parents, her friends, everyone, gone in an instant, a second, in a soundless explosion that reverberated across the universe. She remembered staring in horror as Kal-El’s pod continued towards Earth while she was knocked off course by the explosion and sucked into a black hole, the most mysterious and destructive force in the known universe. Shaking her head, her mind cleared and she instantly started hunting around the pod, looking for any of the hidden items her father would have stored inside for her.

Everything was still waterlogged from being underwater for so long, but the damage was minimal. Kryptonians had long figured out a way to protect their ships from prolonged durations in harsh environments, even if the protective shield was broken. She pulled up the controls on the pod, and checked on the AI embedded in the system. Kex had lost a lot of his functions due to the damage from the black hole and the crash landing, but was already repairing the damage and fixing the shield that Diana broke through to get her out of the pod. 

She hit a hidden button under her seat and a tiny, concealed compartment opened under it. Kara pulled out the contents, several different types of crystals and omegahedrons before locating what she was looking for, a projection crystal. Her fingers softly stroked the smooth edges and tears came to her eyes, her parents were truly gone, her mother, her father, her people, her planet, everything was gone. Sucking in a deep breath, Kara hastily wiped at her eyes and climbed out of the pod. Pythia and Diana were waiting for her, concern etched on their faces, especially seeing the fresh tracks of tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“Kara…” Diana started, stepping towards her friend slowly.

“Diana,” Kara muttered out before bursting into tears. The brunette quickly enveloped her friend in her arms, one arm settling around her waist, while the other found its way to the younger girl’s shoulders. She ran her fingers through blonde hair while Kara pressed her face into her chest and sobbed, her entire frame shaking with sorrow. “I remember,” she cried as she pushed herself closer to her friend. “I remember everything, my mother and father, they sent me away as my planet was dying. Everything, everyone, they’re all gone and I don’t even know where I am.”

Those gathered around listened as the girl sobbed and their hearts broke for her, Pythia and Diana’s most of all. “I am sorry for having to make you relive something so distressing Kara,” Hippolyta said, approaching the girl slowly. She knew that if she upset the girl now, in her most vulnerable state, her daughter would never forgive her. “Can you share with us what upsets you so? What burdens you carry?”

Kara sniffled and pushed away from Diana, wiping at her eyes before looking at the queen. “My name is Kara Lar-El, and I’m from the planet Krypton. My planet was dying, we had done too much damage to it over the years, burned through the resources and that left the world unstable. My parents and my aunt and uncle made plans to get my cousin and I away to safety, to Earth, and they put us in these pods.” She gestured towards the ship behind her. “My baby cousin had already left, but I didn’t want to go, I wanted to stay with my mother and father…” Her eyes teared up as she fingered the blanket she still clutched in her hand and the projection crystal in the other. “But they wanted me to go, they wanted me to live and to look after my cousin.” She hastily wiped at her eyes before more tears could fall. “But something went wrong, I was too close as my planet exploded and I was caught in a black hole. I do not know how I managed to survive, nothing survives entering one of those things.”

“So you are from another world,” Diana said. “You are one of the Star people?”

The blonde nodded, “The glyphs on the scroll, those were from my planet, but they are old. It must have been during the time when Kryptonians explored the galaxies.”

“You were not meant to come to us?” Hippolyta asked, her mind still attempting to make sense of what the girl was saying.

Kara bit her lip as she thought. “I do not know, mother told me I was destined to go to Earth, which revolves around the yellow star Sol, since it was still a young planet. If my people had been here before, and the sun in the sky is yellow, then maybe I am where I am supposed to be, but something does not seem right…”

“What is that you pulled out of the… pod?” Antiope asked, looking at the small crystal in the girl’s hand.

“This is a projection crystal,” Kara replied. “My parents left several things from home for me in the pod, but this… this would have been used to record a message for me.”

“We can escort you somewhere private so that you can listen to your message,” Hippolyta said.

“I… I would like that,” Kara told her. “But I know that you would want to hear it as well. I just… can my pod be stored somewhere safe? It needs time to repair itself before it becomes functional again and I can get some more answers.”

“Of course, though Calliope has discerned that once it was out of the water, it triggered a self-defense system of sorts?” Hippolyta stated, looking over at the woman for confirmation. “It shocked her when she attempted to touch it, and I would not want anyone hurt if they accidentally touched it while hauling it somewhere safe.”

“Oh, right.” Kara turned back to the pod and crawled up to the control panel and typed in a new command for Kex to follow. The pod shuddered for a moment before stilling, the metal flashing briefly. “I’ve deactivated the self-defense measures and directed all of the power towards the repairs. It’ll trigger back on once it has fixed itself and returned to working condition.”

“Fascinating,” Calliope murmured and she and Mnemosyne drew closer to the pod. “Do we have your permission to examine this ship more closely?”

Kara hesitantly nodded, “Just um, do not interfere with the controls or anything inside it.”

“Of course, of course,” Mnemosyne agreed, and the two directed the guard to roll the ship on the cart towards the tower where they kept all of the sacred treasures of the Amazons. 

Hippolyta lead Kara to her private meeting room, Antiope, Pythia, and Diana following closely behind them. The blonde set the crystal on the table and stared at it for a moment. “I do not know…” She glanced down at the bonding bracelets around her wrist, and held them up to the crystal. It vibrated on the table before a beam of light projected out of it, revealing a 3D hologram of her parents. “Those are my parents, my mother and father.”

“They are both women,” Pythia commented as Kara tucked herself back into her side. 

Tears started quietly dripping out of Kara’s eyes as the two women started to speak in a language that was unfamiliar to most of the Amazons in the room. But Diana could understand, Diana knew what they were saying, it was a rudimentary understanding, but she knew.  _ “Dear Kara,”  _ the blonde woman spoke.  _ “We wanted you to know how much we love you, and how sorry your mother and I are that we won’t be able to see you grow.” _

_ “And we want you to grow,”  _ the other woman started.  _ “We want you to live. I know that we told you that you were to look after your cousin, but we didn’t send you away to saddle you with responsibility. We sent you away so that you would live, that you would thrive.” _

The blonde nodded,  _ “We know that it will be hard to adjust to a new world, a new culture, especially with the powers you will gain being exposed to a younger, yellow sun. You were chosen to enter the science guild, like my brothers and I, but now, now you have an opportunity to do whatever you want, to become whoever you want to be.” _

_ “Just know that your father and I will be proud of you, we always have been, and we will be watching over you from Rao’s light.” _

The recording stopped, leaving just the image of her parents standing there on the table.  _ “Mother, father,”  _ Kara murmured, wiping at her face. She tugged on Diana’s hand and motioned towards the two figures. “This is my mother,” she introduced, pointing towards the brunette woman. “Alura In-Ze, and this is my father, Lara Seg-El. In my society, women take their father’s name as their last name, which is why I am Kara Lar-El.”

“Was it usual in your society for two women to have a child together?” Hippolyta asked, leaning closer to look at the figures better. She could see the features both of them shared with their daughter, so she knew that it wasn’t a case of them adopting a child.

Kara shrugged, “It wasn’t unusual, marriages were arranged among the elite houses, but they were binding. My mother and father were promised to each other when they came of age at thirteen, since they were the eldest from both of their houses.”

“Why don’t you tell us more about your family?” Pythia asked, guiding Kara towards a chair. “About your world, your people.”

“My planet… Krypton, is… was an old world. It circled around a red star Rao that was our father, our god, many of our beliefs and traditions were based on this,” Kara told them. “Science though was the primary focus, studying the world and universe, finding a way to make things easier, smoother for people. This probably was our downfall, this greed…” She shook her head. “Our society was separated into guilds, duties, my father was the head of the science guild, and my mother was the head of the judiciary guild, they handled making the laws and giving out punishments. My two uncles, Jor-El and Zor-El were also part of the science guild, while my aunt, my mother’s twin sister, she was part of the military guild.” Kara cracked a smile as she thought about her aunt, “Every time she came to visit, we would sneak out and she would teach me how to use a sword. Mother was always so mad, but Father thought it was hilarious.”

“So your aunt was a warrior?” Antiope asked, intrigued by the girl’s history.

“She was the general of the army, one of the strongest women I knew.” Kara sniffed and looked down. “I miss them all, so much…”

“You dear, sweet girl,” Pythia murmured, pressing a kiss into Kara’s temple. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through, what you’ve lost, it’s more than anyone should have to go through.”

“I think…” Hippolyta started, clearing her throat. “I think that’s enough for today, Pythia could you take Kara home, Diana you may go with them if you wish.”

The two Amazons carefully led the girl away, leaving the queen and the general alone in the room. “What a story,” Antiope shook her head. “Do you think it could be possible?”

“There are many things I did not think were possible Antiope, a girl falling from the stars might be at the top,” the queen replied with a sigh. 

“I do not believe I would have believed it if I had not seen so much evidence today.” Antiope sat down next to her sister. “Though our existence is proof that there are remarkable things in the world, given eternal life here on this island by the gods, what if it is possible, on Kara’s world, where women could be together and have a child and it would not be a problem.”

“They seemed so advanced in ways, but others… If what Kara said was true, her people basically destroyed themselves.”

“Is that not what we witnessed though, when we lived in the World of Man, the greed, carelessness, thoughtlessness, they continued to strive to be gods and in their weakness they became vulnerable and attempted to destroy each other.” Antiope stood up and paced. “You and I both know that no one is innocent of these feelings, not even us, we just strive to overcome this weakness. To assume that beings from other worlds are different or superior, that they can override this basic instinct is just ignorance and folly.”

“We both have seen too much of the world to know better,” Hippolyta conceded. “So what do we do?”

“Well we cannot send that girl away, not after everything she has been through,” Antiope declared. “She has lost her whole family, her culture, her entire world, she is living somewhere new, she has adapted to us, or she is working on it. We can hardly send her away when she has nowhere to go, we have given her a family, we are a family. It is our duty to look after her when her mothers… her mother and father cannot.”

Hippolyta gave her sister a wiry smile, “And I don’t think our old friend would forgive us if we sent her daughter away, not after they have bonded and Pythia received the one thing she has always wanted.”

“No, I do believe she would kick us all the way back to the World of Man in order to find her.”

The queen was silently for a few moments as she thought. “Do we know enough about her though, about her culture?”

“I can only counsel you as I have observed,” Antiope stated. “I know all that I need to know for right now. We have time to find out more, it is important that we have that time.”

“Do you think that Kara’s presence might keep Diana here?”

“So you have seen the way that your daughter looks at her friend?”

Hippolyta rolled her eyes, “They are both still far too young, but you and I both know that Diana’s destiny will attempt to take her away from this place, do you think with Kara here, she might stay?”

“Only time will be able to answer that sister, and fortunately for us, we have time on our side in this.”

 

* * *

 

“So you are really from up there,” Diana started. She and Kara were laying on the roof of Pythia’s house, staring up at the stars. The older woman allowed Diana to stay the night with them since it looked like Kara needed all of the comfort she could get, and the two had snuck out shortly after Pythia had gone to bed. 

“Yeah,” Kara replied. “Well, far away from here really.” It still hasn’t really sunk in that her family was gone, that everything, everyone she knew and loved was gone. She cried and cried all afternoon until she ran out of tears, but even then she sobbed and heaved, her eyes swollen shut and her stomach rolling. Eventually her sobs subsided along with her tears, leaving a hollow feeling in her soul. She knew the sorrow would hit her again and hard, but for this moment, she stared at the stars with her friend. “My father and I used to do this you know,” she said. “She would tell me stories about the stars, Krypton’s ancient past, and point out the constellations to me like we did, though they were different than the ones here.”

“You have two mothers, but you call one father, why is that?”

Kara shrugged, “It’s just the way things were. Children were not, babies were not born in the traditional way, much like you told me how your mother made you out of clay. The scientists on Krypton found a way to make sure that children had the exact traits that parents wanted but would also help the betterment of Krypton. This was called… I don’t know how to say it…  _ The Birth Matrix, the Codex. _ ”

“The Codex?” Diana translated.

“Yes, that is it. The scientist would extract… Umm…  _ genetic material _ from bonded parents, one would be the  _ maternal code,  _ the mother,  and the other would be the  _ paternal code _ , the father. This was the same for every kind of bonded pair, man and woman, two women, or two men, there was always a mother and a father.”

“So you were created by these scientists with the…  _ birth matrix _ ?” Diana repeated the foreign words, not completely understanding what they meant. “Was it a type of machine?”

“It was, but no I was not technically born in the… birthing… pods, yes birthing pods. They were only a few operating by the time my parents petitioned the council for the right to a child, so when they were granted the request, they would have had to wait two more cycles around Rao, and they did not want to wait that long. So my father had the science guild members in charge of the Birth Matrix extract what they needed from her to place in my mother. This method, while not frowned on in Kryptonian society, was not done for a long time since they did not know what I would be like when I was born this way, they only knew that I would be a girl.” She rolled over and set her head on her friend’s shoulder. “That must have taken a great deal of love, to want a child so much you would overlook not knowing anything about them in order to have one.”

“From what I understand, most people in the world experience this,” the Amazon told her, but yes I imagine your parents loved you a great deal, for them to risk everything to protect you, to save you.”

“Yeah,” Kara murmured. “I know they loved me, they taught me so much, and risked so much. I just… it is hard to believe that they are going, that they are all gone…”

Diana didn’t want her friend to cry again, to be sad again, so she wracked her brain for another topic. “During the recording earlier of your parents,” she said. “They mentioned something at the end, about waiting in Rao’s light, what did that mean?”

“Rao was our sun, our father,” Kara told her. “The first Kryptonian, and he set the heavens and the world right, bringing order out of chaos.” She hummed a bit as she remembered her history lessons her Aunt Ala, Jor-El’s wife, would teach her when her parents were busy. “In the ancient days of Krypton, there were many gods and goddesses observed and worshipped, though that faded over time as we evolved. We still believe… believed in them, and there was a religious guild that kept track of our culture and traditions, our religious beliefs. I imagine that our focus on science was an extension of the study and worship of Rao.”

“It is not so completely different from our own religion,” Diana replied. “The gods might have fallen years ago, but they are still honored here, on this island. It is a way to remind us of our past and how we came to be. I guess we also study the world around us as a way to honor them for giving us this chance to live.”

“Worlds apart and not that different from each other.” Kara turned  on her back again and looked up at the stars, getting lost in the movement she could observe, the shifting of planets and meteorites far away in the universe. They were beautiful in their own ways, stars shining in the sky, some with their own planets that revolved around them, and planets in this galaxy that would hold life, different than that of Earth or even Krypton. “Do you know what is hard?” Kara said to her friend. “Since Earth was so far from Krypton, I can still see it, the light from Rao hitting it.” She pointed to a spot in the sky and Diana could just make out a reddish star. “That is Rao,” the blonde girl said. “And that,” she shifted hand over to the left to a fainter light. “That is Krypton. It will be some years before the light disappears and reality catches up with what I already know, that Krypton is gone, and I am what is left. I just…” She paused for a moment as another thought came to her mind. “I just wonder what happened to my cousin, if he is out there in this world somewhere or still trapped in space. I have no idea what being sucked into that black hole did since I did in fact arrive at my destination.”

“You said that your ship would be able to tell you when it finished fixing itself,” Diana stated. “Do you know how long that will take?”

“Longer than I would like,” Kara whispered. “I have answers now Diana, answers to my past, but there are holes, gaps, and I do not, I do not know how to deal with that. It might have been better to continue not knowing, I would not have these questions haunting me, wondering, waiting to find out what happened to my cousin. I was the one supposed to look after him Diana!”

“And we will find out what happened to him Kara, you will find him.”

“I just… I just do not want to be alone.”

Diana rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows to look down at her friend. “You are not alone Kara, you are one of us now, an Amazon, we cannot replace your family, but we will be your new family. You will not ever be alone.”

Kara squeezed her friend’s hand and set her head back on her shoulder when the older girl laid down. “Thanks Diana,” she murmured. The two continued to watch the stars before falling asleep wrapped around each other.

 

* * *

 

In a blocked off section of the Amazon treasury, Kara’s pod was secured away from their other treasures. Several guards had moved it into the isolated room before taking their leave, the sentries returning to their post at the entrance to the building. The water that had clogged the computer system of the pod had slowly drained away as they moved it and settled it into the tower. The AI unit in the pod, Kex, briefly started in order to calibrate his system to better repair the ship. Letters of the Kryptonian alphabet and basic computer code flashed across the interface, the chronometer and location devices turning on in the process. 

Before Kex returned to a dormant state to divert power to the repair functions of the pod, the devices had finished calculating their present location and briefly flashed the results on the small screen.

_ Earth _

_ 250 Before Common Era _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started to think about this story shortly after the Wonder Woman movie came out last year. I was like what happened if Kara grew up with Diana on Themyscira? Then I started sorting through questions on how old Diana was, how Kara would get there, etc, so I decided to build some of my own working theories.   
> The first one, the war between the gods, where most of the gods were killed and Diana was conceived not long after, as referenced in Wonder Woman (2017), I have this war as the Greco-Persian war. Not super important but I was like okay, start there. Then I was like who says Diana ages on Themyscira like a normal person, what if she aged slowly? Okay, cool, that sounds fun, but how to get Kara there? Then I remembered some theories I read about black holes, mostly conspiracy theories. Black Holes pretty much absorb everything, including light, but some people believe they act as like wormholes, traveling back and forth through time. After that, everything just sort of fell into place.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many of you had some super rad ideas about the story and how it should play out and while I admit that alot of them were really good ideas, I already had a plan on how a few things should go. This is a slow burn story, like sssllllooooowwwww burn, like thousands of years, falling-outs, and miscommunications slow. So hopefully you guys will stick with me through this mess, because I predict it will be a bumpy ride.

* * *

 

_1917 CE_

 

“Alright Kara, you remember the rules, none of that heat vision or freeze breath thing that you do,” Diana said, a slight smirk on her face. “And no flying.”

“I know the rules Diana, but are you going to follow them?” Kara countered. The signal to start sounded and the two took off across the field towards the first weapon, the bow. They fired three arrows at the targets stationed around the field, before dashing forward towards the sword. Two Amazon warriors charged at them, swords drawn, and they had to disarm them before facing the true opponent for their bout, each other.

Their swords clashed as they fought, the sound echoing around the field. The warriors on the edge of the field by the cliff watched in fascination as the two fought, meeting each other blow for blow. Antiope, Hippolyta, and Pythia observed them from the top of the cliff. The general had left the training to her second in command, Phillipus for the day so she could observe from a different angle. “They have gotten better,” she commented, not tearing her attention away from the two women fighting.

“They have been training with the best warrior the Amazons have ever know for many years now,” Hippolyta commented. “And you of course sister, I did not mean to slight you in any way.”

Antiope rolled her eyes while Pythia barely managed to stifle back her laughter, and turned her attention back to the fight below. “They are both still holding back,” the general commented. “For Kara, I understand, especially after the incident with Mala where she accidentally broke both of her arms because she hit her a little too hard.”

“Poor Kara was distraught for months until Mala healed, and she has been working on controlling her strength.” Pythia shook her head, “Do you remember the first time that fire blasted out of her eyes? I thought she was going to pass out of fright on the spot, she had no idea what was going on.”

“It truly has been an interesting experience having her on the island,” Hippolyta laughed lightly. She glanced over at her sister only to find her studying Diana disapprovingly. “What troubles you sister?”

“The fact that they are both holding back,” Antiope sighed. “As I said, Kara is understandable, but Diana, she does not even know her own strength because she does not want to.”

“She is well trained, you have succeeded where I asked to train her harder and longer than any of the warriors.”

“But you and I both know, well all three of us really what she is truly capable of,” Antiope countered.

“If she denies her powers then Ares will not find her,” Hippolyta said. “It is her destiny to destroy him, but he cannot find her until such a time, war will not touch her yet.”

“We cannot protect her forever Hippolyta.”

“We cannot protect either of them,” Pythia told them both. They looked down and saw that Kara had disarmed the brunette, and pinned her to the ground, both of them nearly out of breath. “Diana is destined to leave and fight Ares, and Kara, well, as much as I would love to keep her here forever, she will leave one day as well.”

Antiope left the two on the cliff and went down to the field, grabbing a sword along the way. “Kara,” she called, approaching the two. “Move.” The blonde scrambled out of the way while the general went after her niece with the sword. “Stop holding back,” she ordered, swiping at Diana.

“I am not,” Diana protested, shifting away from her aunt.

“You are, you are not taking this seriously, you are holding back.” Antiope raised her sword to strike at her niece again when the brunette positioned her hands to block the blow. The sword struck the metal of her bracers, and a small explosion occurred, breaking the sword and sending Antiope flying backwards. Only Kara remained unaffected from the blast, and raced over to check on her friend.

Diana stared down at her arms in horror before looking at her aunt struggling to get off the ground. “I am sorry,” she muttered before running away.

“Diana, Diana wait!” Kara yelled, running after her friend. She used her super speed to catch up with her friend away from the field, and finally caught up with her enough to grab arm. “Diana stop!” She dug her heels in and stopped the brunette from running off again. “Are you alright?”

“Let go of me Kara.”

“No, you did not leave me alone after more of my abilities came through, I am not going to leave you now.” She ran her fingers along Diana’s wrists, tracing her bracers lightly. “Are you alright?”

“I am fine, but Antiope…”

“She is fine from what I saw before I ran after you, she was getting back up anyway. Do you know what happened?”

“No.” Diana glanced down at her own wrists. “I do not even know where these came from, only that they have been there since I was small and my mother told me to never take them off.”

“Maybe they have power, or maybe they have been keeping the power inside of you under control all of these years and it is breaking out.”

“Maybe,” Diana murmured. “Is this what you felt each time one of your new powers developed, scared and out of control?”

“Sometimes,” Kara admitted. “When I started to fly, to blow ice, and fire came from my ice, I was terrified. My parents and the information in my pod all told me that I would have great powers here because of the sun and how Kryptonians had evolved over the millennia, but they were not able to tell me what they would be. It was terrifying each time, I thought I was going to hurt someone.”

“But you never hurt someone like this.”

Kara scoffed, “Antiope is fine, do you remember what I did to Mala’s arms when I forgot my own strength?”

“She still has a bit of a grudge you bested her in hand to hand combat,” Diana grinned. “It is her best field after all.”

“None of your friends like me very much, and you know it,” Kara countered. The two started walking away from the field, letting their feet lead them wherever they may. “They never seemed to get used to me, even after all this time.”

“You are imagining things Kara, they do like you.”

Kara hummed unconvincingly. “Do you want to head over to the baths? I could use a good scrub.”

“If we go to the baths, I will run into Kasai, and I am still not ready to see her,” the brunette replied.

“I still don’t know why both of you split, you have been lovers forever,” Kara sighed. “Well, if you do not want to go to the baths, we can go up the mountain to the waterfall. It works just as well.”

Diana murmured an agreement, but she couldn’t voice an answer to the statement her friend had voiced. Kasai had been her lover, one of her lovers; they never seemed to last long, but her relationship with Kasai had been the longest. It ended the same as the others though, for the same reason as the others, one reason, the blonde walking next to her. She’s wanted her friend for a long time, years, ages, Diana couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t want the beautiful blonde.

But Kara wanted to respect her culture. She told Diana more about her world years ago, about the bracelets around arms, her parents’ bonding bracelets. It was unheard of in her society to ‘mate’ with someone without being bonded to them, and Diana respected that Kara wished to honor the customs of her people. For Amazons, it wasn’t custom to wed, to bond, in such a way, though Diana knew that her mother would let her if she asked. Something held her back though, something stopped her each time she thought about talking to her mother or to Kara, and she knew, she knew it was fear. It was foolish to be afraid, but Kara was her dearest friend, her best friend, and she wouldn’t allow anything to come between them.

The way her stomach twisted into knots though whenever Kara smiled at her, or every time she heard her laugh… it was difficult to bear. The power the blonde held over her was frightening, and that might be what scared her the most.

They quickly ventured up the mountain to the secluded waterfall Diana had shown her long ago, a trip they both made frequently but something that was still just between them. By the time they finished, the sun was descending in the sky and it was time to return for the evening meal. There was a festival that night and everyone was attending. “I have to run home and change, but I will see you later at the festival?” Kara asked, looking over at her friend. It had been difficult in recent time to see Diana during festivals since she was either with her mother or her friends, but they still tried to spend some time together at these large gatherings.

“Mom,” Kara called when she walked into the house. When she didn’t receive a reply, Kara just slipped up to her room and changed into one of her togas, and headed towards the palace.

“Kara! Hey Kara over here.” The blonde turned and spotted a few of her friends seated at the end of one of the long tables, the one closest to the gardens.

“Raina, Trigona,” Kara greeted the two, sitting down across from them. “How long have you two been here?”

“Long enough to watch Oeone making out with her lover in the gardens,” Raina replied, flipping her curly red hair over her shoulder. Kara glanced over towards the garden and instantly picked out the two women hidden behind one of the arbors. Oeone, Raina, and Trigona were three of her friends other than Diana that she has managed to find on Themyscira over the years.

Diana was often pulled into more training by Antiope and the other warriors, and that left Kara alone for long periods of time. Because of this, she ended up meeting other Amazons, ones that were often overlooked or disregarded. Trigona was an athlete, one of the best on the island, but she wasn’t a warrior. A life of fighting prior to the island wore on her, and she gave it up, turned her talents towards sport and games. Oeone and Raina had similar stories, though Oeone turned her attentions to plants, the study of plants, and Raina became a troublemaker, a jester.

The two lovers meeting in the garden detangled themselves and returned to the festival. Oeone sat down next to Kara and stared wistfully after her lover, Aella, as she walked towards the upper table with the other royal guard. “Oeone… Oenee,” Raina started, using the woman’s nickname.

“Huh, what?” The woman glanced around before her eyes fell on the redhead across from her. “What do you want?”

“You have got a little something right there,” Raina said, brushing her chin.

Oeone wiped at her chin, but when she didn’t feel anything there she glared at the woman. “I dislike you,” she muttered, sipping at her goblet of wine.

“I would like to call this festival’s meeting of the misfit table to order,” Trigona started, clearing her throat. “We all remember the rules, if we get a disapproving look from ‘that’ group, we take a drink.”

“I still do not think this is a good idea,” Kara muttered.

“Oh, it will be fun Kara,” Raina chided. “What could go wrong?”

 

* * *

 

“Your friends are always very entertaining,” Diana murmured when she sat down next to Kara later that night. The blonde had slipped away from the festival after Trigona picked a fight with Io, the weaponsmith, and flew up to the top of the palace. The noise from hundreds of drunk Amazons had gotten too much for her and she sought the peace and serenity she felt from losing herself in the stars.

“They are a mess,” Kara shook her head. “Were your friends upset about the fight?”

“Sofia, Mala and Io goaded Trigona and Raina, so they are partially responsible for the fight breaking out, so they all deserve whatever punishment Antiope gives them.”

Kara hummed and glanced over at her friend. “I saw you talking to Kasai before everything… and well I wanted to know how that went?”

“You were right, I should have stopped avoiding her before now,” Diana sighed out her agreement. “She is sad and does not really accept our split, but I think she is moving on. She has been seeing more of Pallas recently.”

“Probably because she needs so many of her things fixed because she breaks them during one of her fits.”

Diana bit back a snicker at her statement. “Ah, yes,” she said after a moment. “Kasai’s temper has always been pretty bad.”

The blonde just hummed again, not wanting to say anything bad about her best friend’s former lover. The woman always had a bad temper, but whenever Diana was around, she seemed to control it better. Kara couldn’t ever decide if it was because Kasai was trying to be better for Diana, or if she just wanted her to think that she was better. She just shook her head and turned her attention back to the stars above them. “It has been hard,” Kara whispered, her eyes focused on one distant star. “Seeing them for all this time, looking at them, watching them, knowing that I cannot contact them, cannot tell them what is coming, cannot save them. I just wait for time to catch up to itself and I will look up and see Rao, and know that Krypton is not there anymore.”

Diana’s heart broke at the despair on her friend’s face. She remembered when Kara’s pod had regenerated enough for the AI unit inside of it to fully restart, and the devastation she had felt when she realized she had been sucked into the past, years before Krypton was destroyed. “I know how hard it was after Kex told you where you were, when you were,” Diana started. “And that you could not contact your people, could not warn them of what was to come.”

“The communication system never could reach that far without assistance from the Brainiacs or Kryptonian super computers. There is no way they would accept a communication signal from this galaxy, and I would have to worry about the signal being intercepted by someone, like those Daxamites.”

Diana hummed, having heard stories about the people that lived on Krypton’s sister planet. They seemed like the stories her mother would tell her about the time when Ares governed and influenced the world of man, driving them through greed and selfishness to enter into war and chaos. She wondered if that was the natural state of life, chaos, unthinking of what actions would do to others, if heroes were created and given to people to serve as hope for wait others could be, to give compassion, charity, and mercy. If it was how people were, how life was, then what was the role of Ares in these wars, what roles did gods play when life destroys life?

“Why do you not think your home world would receive a signal from this galaxy?” Diana asked, shaking away her thoughts.

“Just as I am not ignorant to the failings of my home world, I do not ignore their arrogance,” Kara acknowledged. “I do not think that they viewed this world as very sophisticated. I once heard my uncle Jor-El refer to it as practically savage, barbaric.”

“How did they judge such a thing?”

The blonde shrugged, “I believe it had something to do with how advanced science was here on Earth. Some cultures from the past on the world seemed to be more advanced than the ones that came after…” Kara’s face scrunched in confusion. “I am unsure how that is possible, but there were a few worlds that my uncle viewed this way. My father was far more charitable, she said that each planet valued things differently. She taught me to never look down on a culture because they were different, if I had to judge someone, judge them based on their values, on their morality, on how they treat others. That is why she disapproved of Daxam, but not others. She did not approve of how Daxam had slaves, and kept their citizens drunk and drugged to distract them from how the upper class treated them. No Krypton had problems, but we had long evolved beyond such practices.”

“Did you have festivals on Krypton?” Diana asked, wanting to change the subject towards something hopefully more pleasant. “You know that Amazons love an excuse to throw a celebration or festival, what did Kryptonians celebrate?”

Kara hummed, “You know, I do not think we have ever talked about this. Krypton did not hold festivals when I was alive, not as grand as festivals from the golden period, or even in the ancient past. The resources were scarce in my time and had to be rationed, though probably our biggest festivals were small, family affairs with our Name Days.”

“That was the day you were granted your name correct, different than celebrating the day of your birth.”

“Yes.” Kara turned sad eyes to the heavens again. “I just regret that years are so different here, I do not think I will ever celebrate my Name Day properly again.”

“I am truly sorry,” Diana replied. “But we have a new day to celebrate, the day you came to us.” She reached around behind her, picked up a small bundle and presented it to her friend. “Happy Arrival Day!”

“Diana,” Kara giggled. “It has been over two thousand years since I arrived on this planet, do you not think it is time to stop celebrating?”

“Not celebrate the day that my dearest friend came into my life?” Diana wrapped an arm around the shorter girl’s shoulders. “May the gods strike me down if I forget this day.”

“You might come to regret those words in the future.”

“Never.”

Kara ducked her head and smiled, a blush coating her face before she started to carefully untie the package. She carefully pulled out a familiar blue fabric, the material soft under her hands. “Is this my blanket?” Kara asked. She turned it over and a gasp escaped her lips at the sight of _stars_ littering her blanket. “How…”

“I have been working on this for a long time truthfully,” Diana told her. “I know you love your blanket, one of the things that your parents gave you, but I also wanted it to reflect a bit of me as well, your new home.”

The blonde’s hands traced the stars, the beautiful bright white that was now intermingled with the rich dark blue, and she immediately tracked the patterns with her fingers. “Is that… is this Aquila?” She gave her friend a wiry smile, “Sewing your favorite constellation into my blanket now are you?”

“Well, the blanket is from your parents, and the stars are from me,” the Amazon said. “That way you will have us close. Pythia helped me unravel the fabric from some of the old clothing you had outgrown from your world and your blanket, and helped me weave the stars back into the fabric.”

“You said you have been working on this for a long time, how long exactly?”

Diana shrugged, “I am unsure, I lost count, years. I would say centuries because I messed up a lot with other material before attempting on your blanket. I know you put it away long ago because it was too hard to look at, but maybe, this way, it is something new now so you will not have to be afraid to look at it.”

“I do not think I was afraid, maybe just sad,” Kara murmured. “It was my baby blanket, the first thing that my family had given me, and although I wanted to hold onto it forever after I came here, I also wanted it to be far from my sight. It constantly reminded me of what I had lost, of everything that could have been.” She wiped at her eyes and leaned into her friend, “Now though, now it will bring far more happy memories than sad, happier feelings than sorrow.”

“Then I am glad to have stolen it and gifted it back to you with new memories.”

Kara embraced her friend, the blanket tucked in between them. “Thank you Diana,” she whispered in her ear. “I love you.”

The princess’ heart clinched at the words but she fought it down to return the embrace. “I love you too.

An odd sound entered Kara’s range of hearing and she turned her attention towards the noise, a buzzing, sputtering noise. It brought memories back from her uncle Zor-El’s experiments with ancient engine technologies. “Diana,” Kara said, pulling away from her friend. “I hear something, something is coming.”

“Where?” The brunette asked, her eyes alert.

Kara zipped away to stash her blanket in Diana’s room in the palace, re-appearing before the woman could blink. “Follow me, I hear it down close to the beach by the cliffs, near where my pod crashed.”

The two raced to the cliffs, the light from the full moon illuminating the path. They reached the edge and Kara looked out over the water, searching through the darkness and the veil surrounding the island to locate the source of the noise. “There!” She cried, pointing towards a place through the veil. “I can barely see it, but something is there.”

“It is not coming from above then,” Diana murmured. “Do you think… do you think it is someone from the world of man?”

It must be, though it is flying, it is coming from the east, not from above.” Kara watched as the sputtering craft dipped and dived, eventually reaching the barrier separating Themyscira from the outside world. Through the years, she wondered how she managed to get through the veil when it was meant to keep the island protected, but both Pythia and Antiope told her that fate had a way of overriding these things.

They both saw the flying craft burst through the barrier before diving straight down into the water. “There’s someone on board!” Kara yelled but Diana had already jumped off the cliff and started swimming towards the sinking vessel. The blonde was about to follow her friend, when she caught sight of something just beyond the barrier, a dark, hulking shape that billowed smoke and fire. She knew what it was or what it was meant to be, she had seen enough from pictures and stories her aunt had shared with her from other planets to know that she was looking at a warship.

She heard the distant sounds of yelling, the clamoring rush of people, _soldiers,_ arming themselves to follow. Whoever it was that crashed in the bay, they were being hunted. She looked down at the beach and saw Diana had pulled a man out of the water just as boats were breaching the barrier. “Diana!” Kara called down. “Behind you!”

“Diana!” Kara heard Antiope call out and she turned to see a battalion of warriors racing behind her towards the edge of the cliffs. The general jumped off and charged towards Diana and the man, but she was held back by the sight of the soldiers approaching in boats. A horn sounded and the call shook Kara to the core, she knew it was Antiope calling her warriors and the royal guard into battle. Kara stood frozen as people she knew, people she grew up around rushed into battle. The archers on the cliff took their position, and Kara could hear the approaching hoofbeats of the cavalry charging down along the beach side.

Her eyes focused back on her friend just as the man she rescued fired a weapon at the approaching soldiers, dropping several on the beach and in the water. Kara snapped out of her fear as she watched the Amazons die at the hands of these enemy soldiers as they invaded their land. Heat built in her eyes as Antiope was downed protecting Diana, and Kara screamed out in rage. She flew down off the cliff, air rushing around her as she flew towards the ship that had breached the veil. The fire from her eyes had already burned through all of the remaining soldiers on the beach and she charged the ship. Metal broke and burst around her, and screams sounded as she set fire to even more men, their cries of pain falling on deaf ears.

It wasn’t until silence reigned around her, the ship slowly sinking beneath the surface that her rage abated, leaving her feeling hollow and empty. She flew back to the beach and found Diana clutching at her aunt. “You are going to be okay,” Diana muttered, pressing her hand into Antiope’s wound. “I am alright and you are going to be alright.”

“The time has come,” Antiope gasped out, clutching at Diana’s arm.

“The time, the time for what?”

Antiope struggled to breath, to get out the words that were trapped in her throat. “God… killer…” She finally gasped out. “Diana go…”

“Go, go where?” Diana cried, tears forming in her eyes. “Antiope please.”

“Go…” The woman stilled and fell back in her niece’s arms, her eyes closing for the final time.

“No Antiope!” Diana called out as her mother fell on the ground next to them.

“Antiope,” the queen murmured. Seeing her sister lying slan by war that reached their shores brought anger and sorrow to her soul in equal measures.

Kara kneeled down next to Diana and wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. The brunette turned towards her friend and sobbed into her chest. “She’s gone Kara, she’s gone.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it was an interesting choice on the writers' parts to use Antiope is this movie rather than dealing with the Lost Tribe of Amazons, unless they might use that anyway and introduce another sister for Hippolyta and Antiope to have mothered that tribe. Not completely unheard of for movie universes to differ in such ways. DC Movie Universe's only hope right now is Aquaman and Wonder Woman 1984. I have no idea what to do with Shazam or Birds of Prey without Oracle. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a Supergirl movie and a Batgirl movie, which will hopefully be taken back off the shelf and given to someone good to write it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm expecting some interesting comments at the end of this chapter, I fully acknowledge that I will be getting some comments, probably angry or whatever, but I acknowledge this.
> 
> And I know people were sad about the major time jump in the last chapter, but I don't think I could have written enough to really satisfy people for the whole 2000 years they were on Themyscira. There wasn't exactly a lot to do and I needed to get to the action.

* * *

 

“Is Oeone alright?” Kara asked when Raina found her at morning’s light. “And Trigona?”

“Trigona will heal, I do not know why the fool thing rushed down here to fight, she does not like fighting.” Raina rolled her eyes before sorrow crossed her face. “And Oeone… it will be a long time before she is the same again, Aella was one of the ones that fell in battle.”

“I know,” the blonde whispered, a lone tear running down her face. “I should have done something sooner, I should have acted sooner.”

“It is not your fault Kara, who would have imagined that war would come to our shores? That some of our greatest warriors would fall…”

“But I can do more things than the Amazons, I have greater abilities, I have trained alongside Diana and the warriors for centuries,” Kara cried. “I should have… I should have been able to do something.”

“Kara.” Pythia’s voice came from behind them and Kara turned to look at her mother. The older woman walked up to them as the two stood just outside the palace, a sorrowful look on her face. “Kara, do not take this burden on yourself, this responsibility. The actions of others are not your fault Kara.”

“But I could have done something,” she replied. “I could have saved some of them, I could have saved Antiope if I had acted sooner.”

“Maybe,” Pythia agreed. “Or you might have been killed in the process. We do not know all that you can do, we do not know about these new weapons the outsiders brought with them.”

“But-”

“Hush Kara, no one blames you for your fear, for your not knowing what to do, those that fell were warriors and they fell honorably in battle. Remember them for that, not for who you think you could or could not save.”

Kara understood what her mother was saying and nodded. It wouldn’t do any good to continue to berate herself for not responding sooner. The Amazons were warriors, all of them, and many still continued to prep for war, knowing that one day it might come to them on their protected island. Anything that Kara could or couldn’t have done wouldn’t have changed the fact that war came for them. 

“What is going on in there?” She asked, motioning her head towards the palace. 

“The queen and the senators are interrogating the man that Diana saved out of the water,” Pythia replied. “They are using Hestia’s rope so there is no way he will be able to lie.”

“I am going to go back to Trigona and Oeone,” Raina told them, stepping away from the other two women. “I will see you later Kara, Pythia.”

“Bye Raina, tell Trigona I wish her well and Oeone… I am so sorry for her loss.” The redhead nodded, and squeezed Kara’s hand before making her way back towards the hospital where Trigona was recovering and Oeone was mourning. Kara’s heart ached for her friend, all of her friends who were hurt or lost someone. She knew what it was like, not the pain of losing a lover, but losing a loved one; at times it felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest, or that she was completely numb to everything or that her body was on fire. It had been over two thousand years since she landed on Themyscira, Kex kept track of the years for her and Diana, but at times it still felt like she had just landed, just lost her parents, her friends, her culture, her entire world. Grief, grieving was different for everyone, she felt that she had not fully grieved her family after all these years, how much more so would it be for the Amazons? Or would they grieve less because they were warriors and they died a warrior’s death?

“It will never be the same for them will it,” Kara sighed as she turned back to her mother. “Oeone’s lover was killed, Trigona’s leg was injured, Raina was…”

“Raina is haunted by the wars we fought in the past,” Pythia replied, wrapping an arm around Kara’s shoulder as she led the girl back towards their house. “Her experiences in war affected her greatly, which is why she chose not to continue being a warrior here. I made the same choice though not for the same reasons. Even though the warriors prepped for war, knowing that we would one day be called on to defend mankind again, that does not mean we were prepared for such a thing to come on our own shores, or that we were ready for it to come.” The older woman hummed as she thought about how to continue the conversation. “Yes, Oeone lost a lover, but she knew that Aella was a soldier, she knew that it might happen, be it today, tomorrow, or years from now.”

“What about Trigona, her leg, she might not ever be able to run again…”

“She is your friend, do you really think she is going to let some injury stop her from doing what she wants to do?”

Kara snorted at the thought, “No, she will probably find a way around it.” She glanced back towards the palace behind them as they walked away from it. “What do you think is going to happen?” She asked. “Why do you think he, they, were here?”

“I see that you are still following Hippolyta’s orders not to listen to anything sensitive,” Pythia observed. “I do not know. There could be many reasons why he crashed in the bay and those men chased after him, but what I do know is that war came to our shores and it is up to the queen and senate to decide what to do.”

“Do you think they will make the right decision?”

Pythia thought for a moment about how to answer. “I think they will make the right decision for the Amazons, whether that is a decision all will be happy with is not for me to say.” She shook her head, “Now, I know you do not need as much sleep as the rest of us, but eat something and try to get some sleep, we have all had a long night.”

Kara nodded and grabbed some meat, bread and fruit from the cupboards before returning to her room. Her thoughts strayed to Diana, and she wondered at what her friend was doing, what was happening in the palace with the stranger. She worried for her, for what had happened with Antiope, and what would happen. Diana was never one to sit idly by while someone was in trouble, it was one of the things she loved about the older woman. “Please be okay Diana…”

 

* * *

 

“Kara, Kara!” The blonde’s eyes snapped open and a hand covered her mouth to keep the scream that was about to escape at the sight of eyes right in front of her face.

“Diana,” Kara whispered, ripping the hand away from her mouth. “What are you doing?”

“I need you to help me,” Diana replied, her face grave in the shadows cast by the candle in her hand. 

“Help you? With what, what time is it…” She glanced over towards the window and saw that night had come again and the moon was shining high in the sky. “It is the middle of the night Diana.”

“I know, that is why I need your help, we need to go,” Diana urged, tugging her friend from the bed. 

“Diana, Diana wait,” Kara said, not bending to the Amazon’s urging. “What is the hurry, what is happening?”

“War, Kara,” Diana murmured. “The man, he is a captain Steve Trevor, he was fleeing from enemies. There is a war happening in the world of man, it is Ares, he is back.”

“How can you know?”

Diana pushed Kara quietly out of the house as she whispered. “He referred as the war to end all war, thousands, millions are dying, women, children. It must be Ares, this is what Antiope meant. We have to get the Godkiller and slay Ares so that mankind will be free from his influence and stop fighting.”

“War is not always caused by Ares Diana,” Kara commented. “War is one of the worst parts of life.”

“This is Ares, Kara, and we have to do something.”

“What did your mother say?” 

The brunette glanced away, “She does not want to do anything. She is going to send Steve away without offering aid, without even sending warriors with him to fight Ares.”

“So why do you need my help?”

“We can go,” Diana stated. “We can go defeat Ares, end the war, but I need to get into the tower and get the Godkiller without the sentries knowing.”

Kara thought for a moment before nodding her head. “Alright, I will fly you up to the tower.” She carefully lifted Diana into her arms and pushed off the ground, heading towards the tower. 

“I will meet you down by the docks,” Diana said. “Will you grab some supplies?” Kara nodded before taking off back towards the city. The Amazon quickly moved through the tower vault, grabbing Hestia’s rope, a shield, the Godkiller, and armor before quickly leaving through the window where Kara dropped her off. She changed into the armor and made her way back to the baths under the palace, collecting a couple of horses along the way.

“Uh, nice outfit,” Steve commented, gesturing towards her new armor.

“Oh, thank you,” Diana stated. “Now, I will show you the way off the island, you will take me to Ares.

“Deal,” he replied before his brain caught up to him. 

Diana nodded, “Good, good, my friend is gathering supplies for us and will meet us down by the docks.

“Your friend… Oh your friend.” An alarmed look crossed his face but Diana didn’t think anything of it and led him out towards where she left the horses. “So that um, your friend with the…” Steve motioned around with his hand, pointing at his eyes and then pointing away forcibly. “The eye thing…”

“Oh, Kara,” Diana replied as she mounted her horse. “What about her?”

“Is um, can all of you do…” He motioned at his eyes with his hand again. “ _ That  _ thing?”

“Oh, no, Kara is…” She was unsure what to say, if he would understand. “She is from another world.”

“Another world?”

Diana shrugged, “She fell, from the stars, another world. There are legends in our history of others coming before her.”

“From the stars… like an alien?” Steve snorted. “I figured that was the stuff of books, theories. Many claim we are alone in the universe.” An uncomfortable look crossed his face for a second. “So uh, what else can she do other than the… fire thing, flying and basically destroying everything in her path.”

“She…” His words struck her as oddly phrased and Diana glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His face was set, stoic, as they rode towards the docks, but she detected a hint of fear in his eyes and the way he clenched his hands around the reins. The horse beneath him felt it too because it tossed its head in protest and danced a bit on its hooves. Diana didn’t know where this sense of fear came from in the man. When he spoke of war earlier, his features held no trace of fear, only anxiety, an anxiousness to return to his country, his people, to help them however he could.

It is only when they can in view of the dock and Diana saw Kara there readying the boat that she understood where the fear came from. Steve’s eyes flickered, his hands tightened on the reins even more, and his breath came out in stuttered gasps. Kara turned to watch their approach, a curious expression on her face, her bag sitting on the ground next to her, and Diana was instantly struck that this wasn’t a good idea. 

“I have packed a few supplies,” Kara said instead of greeting them. “They are already tucked in the boat, I was just making some last minute checks.”

“Oh, ah, yes, Kara was it?” Steve started, shifting on his feet. “Um, thank you, for earlier, on the beach and um… Thank you for the supplies. I’m going to um, I’m going to get on the boat.” He scrambled away from the blonde and threw himself into the boat, checking the supplies and pulling out the map he had stashed in his pocket.

“He is a little spooked, maybe he will calm down when we get back to this war of his,” Kara mused. She reached down to grab her bag but Diana put out a hand to stop her.

“Kara wait,” she said, grabbing her hand. “Maybe this is not a good idea.”

The blonde gave her friend a puzzled look. “You said that it is the Amazons’ duty to defeat Ares, and you need to go defeat him…”

“I know, I know, and I will, I am, but…”  _ Gods help me.  _ “I think maybe I should do this alone, that I should go alone.”

“What? Why?”

Diana tugged her friend away from the docks back on land. “I just think it would be better if you stayed here,” the brunette tried again, unable to look in the blonde’s eyes. “This is your home, and it would be unfair for me to ask you to leave another home-”

“Bullshit,” Kara interrupted. “I know when you are lying to me Diana, and that is what you are doing right now. Just tell me why, why do you want me to stay behind  _ now _ ?”

“I am trying to protect you,” Diana snapped out. “Look, Steve was frightened of you, of what you could do. I do not want you to leave this island and be hunted, scorned, attacked for what you are, that is not fair to you.”

“Should that not be my choice,” Kara countered. “We have always done everything together since I landed, fought together, should we not face this together as well?”

“Kara! Do not come!” She said finally, her heart breaking. “I do not want you to come with me.”

“Diana, you know the rules of this island as well as I do, if you leave, you will not be able to come back!” Tears were running down Kara’s face at this point, though she didn’t know if they were out of frustration or sadness. 

“I know, but I still have to go.” She walked up to her friend and reached out to brush away her tears. “Kara I do not want to-”

“Then let me come with you, I can help!”

“No! I do not want you to come Kara, I do not want you getting hurt!” Diana ran her hands through her hair in frustration. “You are always so reckless, just because you think you are invulnerable does not mean that you are. You saw what happened to Antiope! The humans have weapons now, weapons different than what we are familiar with, and if you come and reveal what you can do, what makes you think that they will not attempt to hurt you as well out of fear?”

“Why go help them at all then if you think they are so bad?”

“They are not all bad, they are being influenced by Ares, you cannot come with me while he is in the world!” The Amazon let out a low growl. “I am done talking about this.”

“So you are going to just leave in the middle of an argument and never see each other again,” Kara stated. “Diana you knew that I would leave eventually to find my cousin, why can I not come with you now?”

“Because it is not safe! Because the humans will be afraid of you and what you can do and I cannot be distracted keeping them away from you while I need to hunt down Ares! You will just get in the way!”

Kara visibly flinched back as if she had been slapped and Diana instantly wanted to eat her words. She wished that she could take them back, that she could tell Kara she was just afraid, that she could tell the blonde to come with her, fight by her side and they would never be separated. But seeing the trace of fear on Steve’s face reminded Diana that as much as she loved Kara, as much as she was raised and treated like an Amazon, she was entirely something else as well, something that would spark fear in hearts controlled by war and chaos. She wouldn’t let Kara be exposed to that, she couldn’t, Kara was too good and pure, full of light and hope, Diana wouldn’t allow the darkness of the world to touch her. 

The sound of hoofbeats striking the ground reached their ears and Diana turned to see mother, and several of the royal guards racing towards them. The sight of Pythia riding with them reminded her of another reason why Kara had to stay, she had already been ripped away from one mother, Diana could not take her away from another. 

“Kara!” Pythia called out when the group drew closer to the dock, dismounting as she pulled her horse up. The blonde rushed over to her mother and embraced her while Diana slowly turned to face her own. 

Hippolyta looked down at her daughter from the back of her horse, wondering when her little girl had grown into the woman in front of her. “I am going mother,” Diana said, drawing Hippolyta’s attention. “Someone must save the world from Ares.”

“I know,” Hippolyta replied after a few moments. “Or at least I know I cannot stop you.” She dismounted from her horse and walked closer to her daughter. “There is so much you do not understand…”

“I understand enough,” Diana countered. “And I am willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, defend those who are defenseless, bleed for those who have bleed too much already.”

The queen glanced over to where her oldest friend was embracing her daughter. “Do you take Kara with you on this quest?”

Diana also looked over and noticed that Kara had stiffened at the words and buried herself further in the silver haired Amazon’s chest. “No,” Diana replied softly. “No I do not want her to come.”

Surprise crossed Hippolyta’s face as she looked back at her daughter. “You know if you choose to leave, you may never return.”

Tears welled in Diana’s eyes, but she blinked them away. “I know,” she said after a moment. “But who would I be if I stayed?”

Hippolyta nodded and softly handed the younger woman the headpiece that once graced her sister’s head. “Make sure you are worthy of it,” she murmured. She reached up and cupped Diana’s face between her hands. “The world of men does not deserve you Diana, you have always been my greatest love, but today, today you are my greatest sorrow.” She pulled her daughter close, embracing her for one last time before releasing her. “You say you do not want Kara to journey with you, may I ask why?”

“You say that the world of men does not deserve me,” Diana murmured to her mother. “I know that they do not deserve her.”

“That is not your choice to make Diana.”

Diana firmed her spine as she stepped away from the queen, “It is today.” She walked away and boarded the boat, and helped Steve cast off the line and shove away from the dock. 

Before she could fully leave the protective barrier that surrounded Themyscira, Diana heard her name echoing through the sky and on the waves. “Diana! Diana!” She turned away, not wanting to hear her beloved friend’s cries any longer.

“Are you alright?” Steve asked when he noticed the tears running down her cheeks.

“No,” Diana whispered, wiping at her eyes. “Leaving Kara is probably one of the hardest things I have ever done.”

 

* * *

 

Kara sat on top of the mountain where she and Diana often hid away to talk and look at the stars. The sun was barely cresting over the horizon; she almost couldn’t believe it had been a full day since the events that killed Antiope and spurred Diana on a quest that would take her away from Themyscira forever. She didn’t believe Diana’s reasoning for wanting her to stay behind, not completely, not when she could have gone with her and they could have been together. 

“I thought I would find you up here.” Hippolyta’s voice sounded behind her and Kara turned her head slightly to watch the woman. The queen walked to the edge where the younger blonde was sitting and lowered herself to the ground. “I found this in Dia-  _ her  _ room,” Hippolyta said, handing over the blanket that Diana had given her only two days ago. 

“Thanks,” Kara murmured, taking the blanket. Her fingers traced the freshly woven stars, following the patterns of the constellations. 

“She spent a long time learning how to make that,” the queen said. “Badgered the weavers every chance she could at how to unravel the fabric and the stitch in the constellations as she put it back together.”

“She told me, she gave it to me after the festival, it was the anniversary of my arrival here. I am not sure how she has managed to give me something every year.”

“Some years were easier than others,” Hippoylta mused. “I am thankful that for the most part these gifts involved making your favorite food, it took years for Pallas and Io to agree to talk to me again after she harassed them to teach her how to forge a sword for you, I hate to think how long I will be in the bad graces of the weavers.”

“They complain but they loved Diana, they would have helped her make a thousand blankets if she asked them.” Kara gave the queen a mischievous look, “And I do not think Io was complaining when she was helping Diana learn to forge weapons.”

Hippolyta cracked a smile at that statement. “Yes, I believe you are right.” They sat silently for a few minutes before she spoke again. “She will be alright you know.”

“I know that she will be alright but,” Kara sighed. “I just, I want to know why she left me behind.”

“Because she loves you,” the queen replied. “Love makes us stronger, drives us to be better, but in the same instance it can make us afraid, push us to irrational decisions in order to protect our loved ones.”

“She was being stupid…” Kara grumbled and Hippolyta smiled at the blonde.

“One day, you will leave this island too, to find your cousin, or just to seek out your destiny away from here, and you will reunite with Diana, you will be able to air your grievances then.”

“I guess…”

“Your mother will be sad to see you go when you do decide to leave,” Hippolyta commented. “This I speak from experience. I believe my daughter was also attempting to spare you from leaving another mother in your lifetime, not when you still had a choice.”

Kara idly stroked the fabric of her blanket between her fingers, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Why is it that if people leave, they cannot come back?”

“The protective barrier around this island hides us from the world, but also from people looking for us.”

“So it is less that Diana would not be able to return and more that she would not be able to find the island again?”

Hippolyta nodded, “Yes, but for regular Amazons, as soon as they cross the veil, they give up their claim on immortality and become just like the humans.”

The younger blonde looked at the queen curiously. “You said regular Amazons, does that mean that Diana is not a regular Amazon?”

“Diana is… Diana is unique.”

“Is this about her being made of clay and brought to life by the gods?”

“Well she was created by the gods but…” The older woman hesitated for a moment. “I am going to tell you something, something that only Antiope, Pythia and myself knew, know.” Kara twisted around to look at the woman. “I did not sculpt Diana out of clay, that was just a story I told to protect her from the truth. In truth I gave birth to her, she is my natural child, but also the child of a god, Zeus.”

“Oh Rao,” Kara muttered as she put the pieces together. “That is what Antiope meant when she said Godkiller to Diana, she is the Godkiller, not the sword. It is her destiny to defeat Ares.”

“Yes,” Hippolyta nodded. “Only a god can defeat a god. She is the best hope for the world.”

“And you never told her?”

“I wanted to protect her, to give her time to learn and grow. If she knew of her power, Ares would have come for her sooner, and she was not ready.”

“Do you think she is ready now?” Kara asked. “Do you think she will be able to defeat him?”

“I cannot do anything but believe that she is, I have to believe in her, for all of us.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes I did that, yes this was the plan from the beginning, really people who have read my stuff should know me better by now, the path to true love isn't easy. I'm going to do some time jumps in the next few chapters, skip around a bit because I want these two idiots back together, but they need to live apart for a while, grow stronger in who they are and who they're meant to be.
> 
> But in the mean time, conflict, lots of conflict that is coming up. And other things...


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a note, you've obviously noticed by now that I went with Lara and Alura as Kara's parents in this story, which is canon in one version of Supergirl/Powergirl's story. I don't remember which one at present, but it will come to me eventually. Anyway, I re-imagined Lara as Jor and Zor's older sister if I haven't mentioned it before, so Kara is rightfully the head of house in every way. Just clearing that up if I haven't explained that before.
> 
> Now, as for some slightly bad news, I'm not going to update this story in December, I have a lot going on over the holidays, including my entry for Supergirl Secret Santa. So, that said, I won't update until the first Friday of January in the new year, so make sure to keep a lookout for the next chapter of this story then!

* * *

 

_ 1985 _

 

“So the crystals that were with you inside your pod created all of this?” Raina started as she looked around the chamber in wonder. The room was a merging of crystal and the natural rock found on the small island with a small stream winding through the room. Large, crystal statues of Kara’s parents guarded the entrance inside the cave, serving as protective figures for the entire history and culture of Krypton preserved inside. 

“Yes, they were used long ago as the base for some of the most amazing architecture in Argo City,” Kara explained. “The crystals combined with the omegahedron, a powersource that my people created, and this whole thing was created.”

“And you built it on that barrier island?” Raina continued. “This whole thing is from that tiny, little barrier island?”

“Well, not the whole thing, but the crystals worked with what was already here,” Kara told her friend. “Half of the island, this half, was the original barrier island, but the other half was constructed by the crystal. It’s blocked off from most of the Amazons though.”

“Why?”

“Because Kara found the loophole for the protections around Themyscira,” Pythia replied, amusement in her voice. “Amazons cannot leave the island and come back, the protections hide the island too well, but Kara has found a way around that by using this Kryptonian technology to always be able to find her way back.”

“I’ve installed Kex to run security so that I will be the only one able to find the island outside the barrier, and only a few select people will be able to access this place on this side, namely you, Raina, Trigona, Mom, and Queen Hippolyta.” Kara’s hands flew over the control pad and several transparent screens came to life. “I wanted a… place to go to, for all of the things that I had from Krypton, my pod, the things my parents gave me before I left, I wanted a place for them, but I did not want to be too far from my new family. And this helps me find my way back when I want to and if…”

“If you find Diana,” Pythia finished. “And she wants the chance to return as well.”

“It has been over sixty years,” Kara said without looking away from the screen in front of her. “Do you not think she would have moved on after all this time, forgotten about us?” The  _ me  _ was left unsaid but the two with her caught the hidden meaning.

Pythia glanced over at Raina and the younger Amazon took the hint. “I am going to head back to the island,” the redhead said, moving towards the entrance of the cave. “I will see you later Kara.”

When the woman left, Pythia turned to her daughter. “You know that Diana did not abandon you do you not? If she could have come back, she would have.”

Kara let out an aggravated sigh. “I  _ know  _ that, but part of me… I cannot help but feel that if she had truly wanted to return, she would have found a way, she would have fought tooth and nail to return to us.”  _ To me.  _

“When you see her again, you can voice all of your frustrations, the ones that have been building up inside of you for all of these years. But let me impart some words of wisdom, people who have eternity, like you and Diana, they do not forget easily, not for such a short span of sixty years. People who have eternity value it so much more because they are aware of time, so when you do see Diana again…”

“What? Go easy on her?”

“No,” Pythia shook her head. “Give her as much trouble as possible, give her a hard time, but listen to her. Hear her when she talks to you, but on your terms.” Kara just snorted and returned her attention to the screen, taking in the figures that Kex was calculating for her. “Have you received any news about your cousin’s ship?” Her mother asked.

“Kex told me years ago that the rotation of Krypton had been corrupted, and that two years ago…” Kara couldn’t finish the statement. “Kal’s pod should be arriving any day now.”

“Have you thought about what you are going to do when you find him?”

Kara let out a barking laugh, “Every day, I have thought about it every day.” She turned around and looked at the statues of her parents. “My mother and father wanted me to look after him, would have wanted me to look after him if I could, but I do not know if it will be what is best for both of us.”

“What do you mean?”

The blonde bit her lower lip as she thought for a moment before answering. “I have lived on this island for the entire time I have been on this planet. Kex has been able to track what has been happening in recent years, but I have not really lived in this world, I know nothing about it. Kal will need someone who can navigate the culture so that he can grow up being able to fit in, with the best life possible.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I do not know,” Kara replied. “I have to find him first. Everything after that can be decided later.”

“Would you consider bringing him back here?” Pythia questioned. “The senate might have a problem with it, but I know that Hippolyta would be honored.” 

Kara paused before shaking her head, “I know that I have the ability to come back if I want to, but I think I need to start living in this world, like my parents wanted me to. I know that I am safe on this island, that Kal would be safe here, but I want him to live. And I would not cause tension here by bringing him if I do not have to.”

“I will be sad to see you go, but I know this is something that you have to do.” The older woman wrapped her arm around the blonde’s shoulders and guided her out of the cave. “It is something every parent goes through, the day when their child has to leave, to leave the nest and find their own wings, to find their own way.” She patted Kara’s arm as they walked, “Just know that you will always have a place to come back to, a home to come back to.”

“Thanks Mom,” Kara murmured, wrapping her arm around the older woman’s waist. “It is good to know that I have someplace to come back to, a place that I  _ can  _ come back to.”

“So what are you going to call this little island of yours? Are you going to give it a name?”

“I was thinking maybe the Island of Fortitude,” Kara murmured, looking back into the cave. “It serves as a reminder that strength lies not only in oneself but also in family, friends, the people you care about.”

“ _ El mayarah, _ ” Pythia said, repeated the common phrase Kara had mentioned throughout the years. “Stronger together, your family motto.”

“Yes, I was always taught to believe that we were stronger together, family friends.” Kara turned away from the cave and gave her mother a sad look. “Being here though, this world taught me a different lesson.”

“What?”

Kara squeezed the older woman’s hand before answering. “Sometimes you have to be apart in order to grow.”

 

* * *

 

A soft beeping sound reached Kara’s ears and she immediately snapped into wakefulness, recognizing the source of the sound. “Kex,” she whispered, activating the handheld device connected to the AI unit. “Is it time?”

“A pod has been detected crash landing in what is known as the North American continent, a place called Kansas,” the robotic voice replied.

“I will prepare to leave immediately, thank you Kex.”

“So it is time.” Pythia’s voice came from the doorway to her room and Kara glanced up to look at her mother.

“Yes, Kal’s pod has landed,” Kara replied. She pushed herself off the bed, grabbed her bag, and turned to face her mother. “I guess this is it.”

“Will you be returning, after you find your cousin’s pod? Will you come back here?” Pythia already knew the answer, but she couldn’t help but ask it again.

Kara bit her lip as she thought. “I don’t know, I might come back, someday, no I know I will come back, I just do not know when.”

“There is a big world out there,” Pythia agreed. “It is time you start living in it, to see it, your parents would want you to.”

“Does that include you?”

Pythia smiled at that, and pushed a piece of blonde hair behind Kara’s ears. “I remember Hippolyta telling Diana that the world did not deserve her, and I know how she feels. The world does not deserve you Kara, but I think it needs you. Go, see the world, learn about humans, learn about other beings like you taking shelter in this world, I think this island has grown too small for you.”

“I love you Mom.” Kara pressed a kiss to her mother’s cheek. “I will miss you.”

“I love you too.” Pythia kissed Kara’s forehead, lingering for a few moments. “We will keep in touch through that robot servant you have on your island, so it is not forever.”

“I know.” The younger woman sniffed, “It is just, it is so hard to say goodbye.”

“Not goodbye, just until we meet again.”

“Will you tell Raina and Trigona I said bye?” Kara asked her as the woman walked her to the door. 

“I will, and I will give the queen your regards as well.”

Kara nodded and pushed off the ground, shooting into the air and towards her island base. She double checked the direction and location of her cousin’s pod on the larger map Kex had made of the planet, and took off heading due west. It was easier to fly higher in the atmosphere, so she flew above the clouds and used her superior vision to track the ground until she reached the terrain that resembled that of the images Kex pulled up for her. 

The damage was the first thing she saw when she reached the small town, aptly named Smallville. People were running around in confusion as others battled fires or cleaned up the damage from the meteor shower that came with Kal-El’s pod. Kara knew that the explosion of her home planet would have been powerful enough to send rocks and debris around to other galaxies. She couldn’t even imagine what damage had been caused to Daxam; even if she did not care for the people on the planet, the way the royal family and nobility treated their subjects, nobody deserved to lose their world, their home. 

Most of the fragments that would have followed her pod after the explosion were crushed and destroyed by the black hole that she was caught in. She still doesn’t know how she survived, and Kex couldn’t find any answers in the records other than speculation. Kara tracked the damage outside of town towards several large fields until she eventually found a large crater. It was too big to be from a meteorite and she knew that she had found the landing site of her cousin’s pod, except that the crater was empty. 

Her eyes scanned the ground around the impact sight, and she spotted wheel tracks leading away from the crash. “Someone… drug the pod away?” Kara murmured and she followed the tracks through the tall stalks around her. Eventually she came to a small house and barn, and peering through the walls, Kara spotted a woman in the house holding a small toddler and a man in the barn burying the pod under straw. She focused on the woman and the toddler, and watched how she interacted with her cousin, holding him gently and singing to him softly. It brought tears to her eyes as she remembered her own parents singing to her and telling her stories, and her Aunt Dara doing the same thing for her cousin when he was just a baby. She didn’t know what these humans were planning on doing with her cousin, but from the way they were acting, it seemed like they were attempting to hide his arrival. 

The man joined the two in the house, and the woman left Kal sitting on the floor with a ball while she and the man talked in the kitchen. Kara used this opportunity to approach the house unseen, and walked up the front steps to knock on the door. “Hello,” Kara greeted when the man opened the door, recognizing the language they used as the one Steve Trevor used all those years ago. “I believe you found my cousin.”

“Ah…” The man blinked, not knowing what to say to the woman. “Martha!” He called back into the house, hoping his wife would come and make sense of what he was seeing. 

“What is it Jonathan?” The woman, Martha, replied and walked to the door. “Oh,” she said when she spotted the blonde woman wearing what looked to be armor from ancient Greece standing on the front porch. “Hello, who are you?”

Kara smiled at the people in front of her. “My name is Kara Lar-El, and I believe you found my cousin in that field of yours. Is it alright if I come in?”

Martha was frozen for a moment before gesturing the blonde woman inside, shooting her husband worried looks as the blonde stepped by them. Humming a little bit, Kara glanced around the inside of the house, taking in everything around her. It was so different from the homes on Themyscira, more advanced in ways but also more cluttered in others. The Amazons didn’t really spend a lot of time in their houses, but this house seemed lived in, seemed loved with all of the items spread out of the table and walls. 

She saw him peeking around the corner of the doorway, and Kara grinned at the sight of the dark haired boy. “ _ Hello Kal, _ ” Kara spoke to him. “ _ I don’t know if you remember me, I haven’t seen you since you were a baby. _ ”

Kal’s face scrunched as he looked at her before a bright grin crossed his face. “Kar’,” he squealed out, running over to her. The blonde bent down to scoop him up and Kal instantly started babbling to her, a mixture of broken Kryptonian, toddler speak, and English that his pod no doubt taught him during the journey. 

“So you do know him?” Martha spoke behind her and Kara turned to look at the humans she nearly forgot about. She could see a mixture of curiosity and sadness on their faces as they glanced between her and her cousin. 

“Yes, he is my cousin, his father was my father’s brother,” she replied.

“So you’re… did you…” Jonathan sputtered, trying to come up with the right question that didn’t sound too invasive, and Kara took pity on him.

“Shall we sit?” She asked, waving towards the comfortable looking future in the room. “I feel that you have many questions, and I am indebted to you for finding my cousin before something happened to him.”

“Of course, of course,” Martha said, her hostess instincts kicking in as she ushered the girl to a seat. “Can I get you anything to drink? Water, tea, coffee?”

“I have heard of this… coffee, but I have never had any, if it would not trouble you…?”

Martha waved her hand, “No of course not, don’t worry about it. It’ll only take a few minutes for the pot to brew, um, is instant coffee alright?”

“I am not sure the difference, but whatever you have is fine, do not trouble yourself.” The woman bustled out of the room towards the kitchen while Kara sat on the couch with Kal and the man, Jonathan, sat in one of the chairs. Both of the humans seemed uncomfortable, but they were trying to be welcoming and hospitable, which Kara appreciated. Through the information Kex had been collecting, she was a little concerned. Humans didn’t seem very welcoming to each other, how would they take beings from other planets?

“Here we go,” Martha said, setting a mug on the small table in front of Kara when she returned to the room. “Would you like some cream or sugar?”

“No thank you, I think I would like to try it as is.” The blonde sipped at the steaming liquid, and her brow rose as the bitter taste exploded on her tongue. “It is…”

“It’s an acquired taste,” Jonathan supplied. “Especially with it as strong as my wife likes to make it.”

“Jonathan,” Martha scolded, hitting him on the arm before turning back to the young woman. “Where are my manners, my name is Martha and this is my husband Jonathan, we’re the Kents. You said your name was Kara?”

“Kara Lar-El, yes, and this is my cousin Kal-El. We are originally from the planet Krypton.”

“Planet, a different planet,” Jonathan repeated. “I know I found that… spaceship in the corn field, but I still don’t believe it.”

“Jonathan, hush,” Martha started again. “So, if you’re from a different planet, why are you here? And did you come with that meteor shower?”

“Our world died,” Kara murmured, a sad expression crossing her face. It may have been over two thousand years since she experienced the death of her world, but having to watch it over again, to wait for it to happen in order to be able to find her cousin, it had been hard. “We were arrogant, did not take care of our world until we ended up killing ourselves. Our parents knew and they sought a way to save us, so they sent us away before the planet could explode. That force is no doubt what caused the meteor shower that brought my cousin, remnants of our world.”

“You said it brought your cousin,” Jonathan pointed out. “But what about you?”

Kara bit her lip as she thought about what to tell them. “Well that… that is more complicated. Something happened, I left late, watched my planet, my people, die, and I got sucked into a black hole. I ended up on this planet, over two thousand years in the past.” The humans gasped and looked at her with shock written on their faces, and Kara just nodded. “So you can imagine, I have been waiting for Kal for a long time.”

“So what happens now?” Martha asked. “You have found him, will you take him back to where you were living?”

“I do not know,” Kara murmured, scrutinizing the woman. “Why did you take him in? Why did you pull his pod away from the crater and attempt to hide it?”

“I… we…” Martha looked at her husband desperately and Jonathan cleared his throat as he thought of how to answer.

“We… we’ve always wanted a child,” he started, his eyes misty. “We just, we’ve never been blessed with one, so when we found your cousin… It was like it was our chance to finally be parents.”

“We didn’t think anyone would come and look for him,” Martha added. “No one good anyways. Yes, scientist or the government might come to investigate the meteor shower, but we didn’t think anyone from wherever he was from would come for him.”

“You were going to take care of him? Raise him as your son?” Kara clarified, tickling Kal lightly through the slightly too large shirt Martha had dressed him in. 

“As crazy as it sounds, we thought we were meant to find him,” Jonathan told her. “Like he was sent to us for a reason.”

Kara was silent for a few minutes while she thought about what they said. This was her answer, this was what she had been looking for. “The people I lived with,” she started. “The people that took me in, they do not believe in coincidence, everything is fated. I was fated to get pulled into that black hole and end up in the past with them, and you were fated to find Kal.” She gave them a watery smile, “Or he was fated to find you. I have been debating on what to do when I found him. I could not take him back to where I was living, it would not be fair to him, but then I could not fully raise him either since I had not lived in this world, not the way that you two have.”

She set Kal to the side and stood before the two humans, her fist pressed into her chest. “The House of El would be indebted to the House of Kent if you were to take in one of ours and treat him as one of your own, to help him in this world,” Kara intoned formally.

Shock flooded their systems at Kara’s words, but Martha couldn’t believe it. “Are, are you sure?” She asked as Kara sat back down. “He is your cousin-”

“Yes, and I will always love him and be here for him, but you two, you can give him something I cannot, something that was given to me by the people that took me in,” Kara said, looking between Kal and the couple. “Parents, a family. I would ask that you allow me to teach him about our world, and have our language be his first language, but I would be… proud and grateful if people such as yourselves were to take him in and raise him.” She wiped at her eyes a little, “Our worlds might have been different, but you remind me of my Aunt and Uncle, both strong, but loving and kind. I believe that they would support me in this request.”

“I, we would be honored,” Jonathan stated. “And we would be honored if you stayed with us as well.”

“Oh yes,” Martha agreed. “You will stay too? For as long as you like to be with Kal, it would be no trouble and would give us the opportunity to learn more about your culture, so that we could help Kal, but also maybe you could learn about ours as well?”

“I…” Kara blinked.  _ That  _ she hadn’t expected, for these people to basically take her in as well as Kal, it was surprising. She had underestimated the kindness present in human hearts, the history Kex had been accumulating for her had only focused on their misdeeds towards others rather than the compassion they showed. “I would be grateful,” she bowed her head. 

Jonathan frowned and rubbed at the stubble on his chin, “Now how do we explain you to our neighbors, they’ll notice that a young blonde woman and a toddler randomly showed up at the house.”

“Surely we can pass them off as family Jonathan?” Martha questioned. “Maybe distant relatives that lost their home?”

“But how do we prove it Martha?”

“I believe,” Kara interrupted. “That my AI unit can create any of the paperwork you require, or maybe the one in Kal’s pod can, depending on how damaged it is.”

“Um, AI?” The man asked, his eyes wide.

“Yes, what is the word…” Kara muttered, her mind frantically searching for anything in their language that would explain it. “Artificial intelligence, um, robot?”

“Oh, a smart robot, of course, to be expected.” The man tossed his hands up as he slumped down in his chair, causing the two women to giggle. 

“What were you going to name him?” Kara asked a bit later as Kal toddled over into Martha’s lap and curled up to sleep. “When you said you would take him in, you did not know his name, so what would you have called him?”

Martha smiled and glanced over at where her husband had also fallen asleep in a nap. “Clark,” she whispered, a light smile on her face. “After Jonathan’s father. He was a good man, and I hoped that any son I would raise would be just like him, just like his father.”

Kara nodded at the words, “Then that is what you shall call him, Clark of House Kent.”

The woman turned her head towards the blonde, startled. “But what about his name?” She asked.

“He is young, he can adapt to the changes,” Kara stated. “And… and I believe that Kal should adopt something of yours. I could not, would not change my name when I was taken in by my new mother, but my culture and life changed to incorporate my new family. This is a small thing we can do for Kal… for Clark now, to honor you and your bonded, what you are doing for us.”

Arching her brow a bit at the word ‘bonded’ instead of husband, Martha shook away her idle thoughts and focused on what the woman was saying. “I don’t think we need to completely remove his name,” she said. “And I don’t want to. It was the name his original parents gave him, and I am very thankful for them, and you, for giving us this opportunity to raise him.”

“Then what do you propose then?” Kara asked.

Martha hummed, “In our culture, we usually have what we call middle names, between our first name and surnames, Kal can be his middle name, something that we call him at home.”

“So he will be Clark Kal of House Kent?”

“No dear, he will be Clark Kal Kent.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know, what was that time jump about? From 1917 to 1985? wtf? Well I did that for many reasons, one is that I didn't think Kara would leave the island until she had to, meaning when Kex found Kal's pod. In one of the early drafts of the story, I had her leaving the island earlier, but in every version of how that turned out, she ran into Diana before I wanted her to and I was like no no no! So she stayed. Plus she had to take the time to build her island of Fortitude, my version of the Fortress of Solitude, just less self-righteous sounding. So some Amazons have access to Kryptonian tech and part of me is curious on what they'll do, but it isn't a major part of the story at present. And the final reason, I really, really didn't want to spoil WW1984 for myself. I feel that if I wrote about them or what Diana was doing, or alluding to Kara hearing about something going on in 1984, then I would just hype myself up for a movie not set to come out for another 19 months I think. Really didn't want to do that to myself, so we landed in 1985.
> 
> And there's another good reason that shows up in the next chapter, but I'll be seeing you guys in 2019!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back with a new chapter? Me! Wasn't sure if I would post this week, but I decided to anyway, still getting back into the swing of things with this story, little rusty at writing it.
> 
> It might seem like I'm skipping around a lot time wise, and I am, because there's only so much I can write on certain topics and I get excited about other things later down the line. So many exciting things! But anyway, read on with the story!

* * *

 

_ 3 Years Later _

_ 1988 _

 

“I don’t know Martha, is this really necessary?” Kara asked as she watched her adoptive aunt and uncle pack up the few belongings she had managed to collect into large suitcases. Jonathan took the suitcases down and placed them in the truck whenever Martha finished with them, shaking his head at Kara’s attempts to take them out of his hand or prevent his wife from packing her things. 

“I think it is,” Martha replied. “And Pythia agrees with me so don’t try to argue.”

Kara rolled her eyes as she nearly stomped out of the room. “Shouldn’t have set up that communication channel with Kex, just never ending problems now, adoptive families bonding,” she grumbled her way out of the house. She found Kal hanging off of the jungle gym she and Jonathan had created for him, built from reinforced steel so that it was sturdy enough for a young Kryptonian. “Hey Kal,” Kara greeted her cousin. 

“Kara!” Kal squealed and he flipped off the monkey bars, hovering slightly in the air before dropping to the ground. He still hadn’t gotten ahold of flying, though Kara had strictly warned him off of flying alone until he was older, much, much older. “Is Mama still making you go away?” He pouted, a few tears gathering in his eyes.

“I’m not going away Kal,” Kara sighed. “I’m just… going to college apparently.”

The little boy crossed his eyes, “School…”

“Hey now, it’s important for you to go to school,” the blonde stated firmly. “You’re starting kindergarten in a few weeks, you should be excited, learn new things, make new friends.” Kal just grumbled and tucked his head into Kara’s neck, wrapping his arms around her so that she was forced to pick him up. 

Jonathan walked out of the house with more boxes and shook his head as he caught sight of them. “He’s just like you at times, it’s kind of scary.” The man had grown fond of the woman that suddenly dropped into their lives three years previous. She was kind and strong, helped out on the farm when he had broken his leg, not to mention helping his and his wife’s dreams come true by letting them raise her cousin as their son. He gestured back to the house, “Martha is still in there packing up, you better go check on her before she tries to send you with her finest china.”

“She wouldn’t- Martha!” Kara called, handing Kal over to Jonathan and racing back up to her room. She knew that the woman would try to pack far more than she needed, so she sped around her and finished boxing up everything. 

“Oh,” Martha blinked. “Thank you Kara, now we can get going and get you to Metropolis.”

“Are you really sure this is a good idea?” Kara asked again. “I can stay and help you both around the farm and with Kal.”

“Kara,” the woman patted the blonde’s arm. “I love that you want to stay and help us out, but we’ll manage. You need to get out and experience new things.”

“But college though?” She grumbled again. “Why does it have to be college? I already know a lot of what they would teach me in college.”

“Then find something that interests you.” Martha shrugged, “College isn’t always about education Kara, sometimes it’s about learning to interact with people, and Metropolis University is one of the largest schools in the country, you will be able to interact with so many different kinds of people.”

“You also told me that it had the widest range of courses and was one of the most respected colleges in the country,” Kara pointed out. “That’s why I applied.”

“It is, and it does, but it will also help you learn more about humans, more than Smallville can really teach you anyway.” She squeezed Kara’s arm before moving away. “And Pythia does agree with me so don’t think you can get out of this now.”

“Yes Aunt Martha.” Kara sighed, there wasn’t any way she could argue against the two women, once they agreed on something, they were in complete agreement. “I really shouldn’t have set up that communication line between you two, now you’re ganging up on me.”

“I needed someone to talk to about raising a Kryptonian, and while the hologram of your parents has been… interesting, Pythia was a bit more helpful, especially considering all the years of experience she has.”

“Are you calling me old Kent?”

“Of course dear.”

Kara huffed and pulled a slim piece of what looked like acrylic glass out of her pocket. Pressing her thumb to the bottom of the device, she quickly moved through the information portrayed on the small screen before activating a small button. A light ring sounded for a minute before a small hologram of Pythia’s face appeared above the device. 

“Kara sweetie,” Pythia greeted, smiling at her daughter. “Are you all packed yet?”

“Martha’s basically packing her entire house to send with me to Metropolis.” Kara rolled her eyes, “And I hear that you two are basically ganging up on me.”

“We mothers of Kryptonians have to stick together,” Pythia replied. “And she has been giving me interesting recipes for pies, they are quite delicious in the wood oven. I feel like I have gotten better at cooking them, so I will make you a pie the next time you visit.”

“Chocolate pecan?”

“As long as you bring some of the ingredients, I am already out of several things. Hippolyta gets cranky these days when she does not get her coffee in the morning, so make sure you bring plenty of that as well.”

“How are things going between you two?” Kara asked. The two women had grown closer after Kara left, both of them sacrificing their daughters to the world of men. It wasn’t a relationship just yet, but Kara knew that they were heading in that direction. “I know you both had some reservations about… well, everything.”

“We are… taking things slow, it has been a long time since I have truly been with someone else on a permanent basis and Hippolyta is one of my oldest friends. I believe we are fine with how things are now, we both still have lovers, but if we decide to change that, I will let you know.”

“Thanks Mom, I appreciate it, and I support you both in whatever you choose to do,” the blonde told her. “You’ve both lost so much in your lives, if you could take some comfort from each other, you should.”

“Kara!” Martha called. “We’re getting ready to leave!”

“Yes Aunt Martha!” Kara rolled her eyes and looked back at her mother. “Are you sure this college thing is a good idea?”

“Martha thinks it is, you will get to meet a lot more people, learn new things, and honestly Kara, I think it is a little late for you to be voicing complaints since you were the one who applied to school.”

“I think I was tricked.”

“Kara,” Pythia sighed. “Go, meet new people, see the world, stop being afraid to live, stop being afraid to look for Diana.”

“I’m not… that’s not…”

“Kara, you can fool yourself but you cannot fool me. You traded life on an island for life in a small village-”

“Town.”

“- town, but you are still not really living. Stop hiding.”

“You want me to reveal myself, who I am, who I really am?”

“Nothing so drastic Kara, but maybe you can stop hiding from yourself, embrace the world, learn, grow, do what your parents always wanted you to do, live.”

Kara smiled, “Alright Mom, I’ll go and give it a shot. Maybe I’ll study something new, something other than math or science, the things I was supposed to learn about.”

“Just as long as it is not philosophy,” Pythia rolled her eyes. “I knew Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, and truthfully I thought they were a bunch of windbags, to think there is a branch of study based on their words, ridiculous.”

“Kara!” Martha called again.

“Coming!” The blonde yelled back before turning to her mother. “I’ll contact you after I arrive at the school and get settled in.”

“Oh wait, Martha told me what to say in this instance.” Pythia’s face scrunched for a moment before brightening, “Oh right, have a good day at school and make lots of new friends!”

“Thanks Mom.” Kara turned off the device, took one last look around the room that had been hers for the past two years before running down to the Kent’s waiting truck. “So how long is this going to take?”

“Well, if you and John take turns driving, then we should get to Metropolis tomorrow just as move in time starts in the dorms,” Martha answered. “And I will be back here in the backseat with Clark navigating.”

“Alright, so you know what a road trip means?” Kara started. “Tunes!”

“Please Kara, not oldies, please not oldies,” Jonathan protested, but just groaned when the blonde turned the radio on to one of the stations playing rock songs from the 50s and 60s.

“Oh, lighten up John, you grew up with this music,” Martha teased.

“Excuse me Ma’am,” he corrected. “I grew up with good ole country music.”

“Well the trip is long,” Kara grinned. “We might get some country in here somewhere.”

“Lord help me.”

 

* * *

 

“Well this is,” Martha started when she looked around the dorm room. “Quaint.”

“I believe the word you’re looking for Martha is small,” Jonathan corrected, setting down one suitcase. “I’ll go get the other suitcases.”

“Oh I can get them, Uncle John,” Kara started but he just waved his hand. 

“No no, you stay with Martha before she starts decorating,” he said. “I can get the rest of your stuff. C’mon Clark.” The little boy bopped out of the room after his adoptive father and Martha started to look around the tiny room. 

“It doesn’t look like your roommate is here yet, so we have time to get the furniture organized a bit on your side.” She glanced between the left and right sides of the room. “Which side do you want?”

“The left side probably,” Kara frowned a bit before nodding.

“Alright, well you have a bed, dresser desk and…” Martha hummed. “These look like lofts… So what I suggest, we loft your bed up towards the ceiling, and create a study nook under the bed with your desk. The dresser can fit right over here.” She gestured towards where the foot of the bed was going to be.

Kara examined the boards and bed to see how they fit together and she glanced around the tools Jonathan had brought for the right one. “If you watch the door, I’ll go ahead and take care of this.”

“You could wait for John to come back,” Martha started but the whirlwind around the room indicated that the blonde had already started moving the furniture and putting everything together. By the time Martha had finished speaking and moved closer to the door, Kara had already finished and was tightening the bolts on her lofted bed. “Or you could just go ahead and get everything settled. And you even made the bed.”

“It was easier if I just went ahead and did everything,” Kara smiled sheepishly. “I haven’t put my clothes away yet though.”

“Probably because your uncle hasn’t brought them in yet.”

Clark bounded in a few moments later carrying one of the suitcases, while his father followed him not long after, huffing slightly as he walked. “I’ve got this typewriter thing, are you sure you don’t want one of those computer thingies?” Jonathan asked, setting the box down. “It would be a bit of a set back, but if you needed one, Martha and I could do it.”

“Thanks Uncle John, but it’s okay. I find that I’ve come to like the simpler technology.”

“You just think it’s slow and antiquated,” Martha replied as she started unpacking the blonde’s clothes. “Compared to everything that you’re used to anyway.”

Kara just shrugged, “I didn’t really use technology for over 2000 years, but a culture has to start somewhere. Doesn’t mean that I have to deal with it.”

Martha continued to fold and put away her clothes, ordering her husband to hang a few things up and deal with the toiletries in a box under the small sink in the room. Jonathan stammered a bit but complied at his wife’s glare, while Clark just climbed up to her bed and settled down in the mass of pillows Kara had brought with her. 

When Kara was putting the last finishing touch on her side of her room, her roommate finally showed up, bursting through the door in a whirlwind of coffee and suitcases. The woman was small, though the way she carried herself gave the other occupants in the room the idea that if they voiced that opinion, they would soon find themselves crushed under the four inch wedges on her feet. Her blonde hair fell just just below her shoulders, and large sunglasses covered half her face, hiding her eyes from view. She dumped her suitcases on her side of the room, and took a long sip of her coffee before turning around to look at the other people in the room. “God,” she muttered. “It’s like I moved to Farmville.”

Everyone in the room heard what she said, and while Kara quirked her brow, Martha and Jonathan just smiled in amusement. “Hello dear,” Martha introduced herself to the blonde. “I’m Martha, and this is my husband Jonathan, we’re the Kents.”

“Cat,” she replied. “Cat Grant.” She shook the older woman’s hand and turned towards Kara. “I’m assuming you’re my roommate?”

“Yes, my name is Kara Larelle,” Kara answered, using the last name that Kex had created on all of her paperwork. 

Cat glanced between Kara and the Kents standing not to far away. “Family relation…”

“They’re my aunt and uncle.” Kara didn’t feel like getting into the fact that they had adopted her cousin, so became her family or that her parents were dead. And she really didn’t want to explain that she was an alien and her adoptive mother was living on a hidden island with a bunch of warrior women, and that she had been living on that same island for over 2000 years and had just recently left it to start living in the world of men. She didn’t think it made for a good introductory conversation.

“Good to know,” Cat hummed before setting up her own side of the room.

Martha looked like she was about to ask Cat where her family was but Jonathan caught her arm, and shook his head. “We’re probably gonna go Kara,” she said instead, focusing on her blonde. “We have to get back to the farm.” Cat snorted at that statement, but the others ignored her. 

“Alright, I’ll talk to you later.” Kara gave them both hugs, and coaxed Clark down from his perch on top of her bed. 

“Do you have to stay here?” He grumbled out, a pout on his face.

“Yeah buddy,” Kara answered. “But I’ll be home during winter break and we can celebrate Hanukkah together.”

“And make latkes?” Clark sniffled.

“As much as we can eat.” She picked the boy up and handed him over to her uncle, and the little family made their way out of the dorm. 

“They seem delightful,” Cat snarked, and Kara glanced over to see the girl laying on her half-made bed. 

“Are you going to be this unpleasant all semester? It would make rooming together more difficult.” Kara had put up with worse over the years on Themyscira, but she wouldn’t put up with condescending behavior from a human she barely knew, especially one she had to live with.

“Why? You upset with my behavior Kiera?” 

Kara just snorted in amusement, and shrugged. “It’s your choice, I just figured that you would like for your living situation to be a bit more pleasant, that’s all.”

“I was supposed to get a single room,” Cat snarled, taking her sunglasses off to glare at the taller blonde. “I had filled out all of the paperwork and put in the extra deposit. It was only when I got here that I found out that my request was denied and my deposit returned, so instead of my nice quiet, single room, I found Dorothy Gale and her charming family inside  _ my  _ room.” Kara wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say, but it didn’t seem like Cat needed her to say anything as she continued. “So why don’t you stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of your way, and we’ll go our separate ways as soon as a single room is available.”

Cat stormed out of the room, leaving her suitcases sitting around still half full as Kara stared after her. “This is going to be a long semester.”

 

* * *

 

“I probably should have listened to you about not taking a philosophy class,” Kara groaned, sinking down into the plush chair she purchased for her study nook area under her bed. She had draped fabric around the sides to give her a little bit of privacy and to ignore her roommate’s glares. “It’s really boring, and they have all these new theories out but everything is still just discussing thoughts, and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it through the class.”

“I did warn you,” Pythia murmured, the hologram of her face showing that she was smirking at her daughter. “What ever made you decide to take that course?”

“They have something called ‘general education requirements’,” Kara explained. “Basically have to take a few classes in different areas to get a more rounded education.”

“That seems wise but also could lead to frustration for many people,” Pythia mused. “Though what if you find something in these general education courses that you love to do?” Kara just hummed and the older woman focused the conversation on her daughter’s other classes. “How are you finding your design classes? I know you were intrigued by the architecture program when you spoke to me about the campus fair.”

“So far it seems really interesting,” Kara replied. “I had never really thought that much about architecture before, about buildings, only that they were different, but learning how to design them for both beauty and efficiency, it’s interesting.”

A knock sounded on the door, and Kara glanced over towards it. “I gotta go Mom, there’s someone at the door. I’ll talk to you the next time I know Cat is going to be out for a while.”

“Don’t worry about me dear, focus on your studies.” 

Kara turned off the device and quickly opened the door, finding a small, dark haired woman on the other side. “Oh,” the woman said, blinking as the door was opened by a statuesque blonde. “You must be the roommate.” She brushed in past Kara and walked into the room, eyeing everything distastefully as she went.

“Um, can I help you?” Kara asked, turning towards the woman.

“Yes, go find me a coffee,” she answered. “And tell me where your roommate has gotten off to before you go.”

“I’m not going to do either of those things,” Kara replied. “Especially since I don’t know who you are.”

“Calm down Kiera,” Cat said as she walked through the door. “This particular dragon doesn’t need to be slayed, not anytime soon anyway.” She set her purse and bag down on her desk, and sipped at the coffee in her hand. “Hello Mother, so nice to see you, it was real nice to see you for my high school graduation too, oh wait, you never showed.” She sauntered over to where the woman was sitting, “So what’s it been, a few years? I think the last time I saw you was when you shipped me off for boarding school.”

“I have been busy Kitty,” the woman shrugged. “I have been working on my book, and then my book tour, when exactly would I have had time to visit?” She waved her hand about dismissively,” Besides, your father attended, and he told me all about it.”

“Really? So Daddy told you that I was valedictorian and elected graduation speaker? He told you all about my rousing speech towards striving towards success and learning from our mistakes, moving towards the future but also remembering the past as it made us who we are which will shape who we will become?”

“I’m sure he mentioned something about it, but really Cat, you shouldn’t be this oblivious about why I’m here.”

Cat just hummed again before turning to Kara. “Since she did invade our room after all, I think you should be introduced to this fire breathing dragon. Kara, this is my mother, Katharine Grant, mother I would introduce you to my roommate, but since you were ordering her around like a servant, I don’t think you would really care.”

“Journalism Cat?” Mrs. Grant asked, ignoring the statuesque blonde. “Really? You could have become a lawyer like your father, or gone into more creative fields like me, but journalism?”

“It’s still writing mother.”

“Tabloid drivel, definitely not, you’re going to attach your name to some kind of salacious, celebrity gossip, my name?!”

“I’m going to do whatever the hell I want to do Mother, and you don’t have a say in what I’m going to do with my life. I am an adult, my college fund and trust fund are in my control, so why don’t you just go and micromanage your characters instead of trying it with my life.”

Mrs. Grant just scoffed and stalked out of the room, but she turned around to speak to her daughter before she left. “I’ll be in town for a week before I have to leave again, brunch on Sunday at the usual place?”

“I’ll see you there Mother,” Cat sighed, shutting the door behind the woman as she pushed her out of the door. “So,” she said, turning around and leaning back against the door. “We Grants put on a good show I believe, good enough to fuel gossip for a while, though were you hoping for an encore?”

“I’m starting to realize why you approach the world in such a hostile manner, especially if you have to deal with someone like that.” Kara nodded her head at the door Mrs. Grant disappeared out of, leaning back against her bed. “You want to talk about it?”

“I want a drink,” Cat groaned. She stared at Kara speculatively, “How old are you?”

“21,” Kara replied. It was an age she, Martha, and Jonathan had agreed on before she enrolled in university, and she had Kex make I.D.’s to match the information. They all agreed that she wouldn’t pass as a teenager, but the age wouldn’t look to out of place on campus and would allow her more autonomy.

Cat hummed, “You can be my DD then, we’re going to a bar.”

 

* * *

 

“Okay Cat,” Kara said, helping the stumbling blonde into the dorm building. “In we go, come on, just have to get in the building and up the stairs.” In theory, it would be an easy task to get Cat into their shared room, but the other girl was drunk and her grumbling and stumbling was making it difficult on Kara. 

“I don’t have to listen to you,” Cat grumbled, pulling away from the taller blonde. She took a few stumbly steps away from her, attempting to make it up the staircase to the next floor, but just ended up tripping and nearly cracking her head on the concrete. Kara rolled her eyes and just hefted her roommate over her shoulder and carted her up to their floor. “Did anyone ever tell you that you had the biceps of a goddess,” Cat muttered drunkenly. Her hands started fondling every bit of Kara that she could get to before attaching themselves to her ass. “Your butt is glorious as well, very tight but still squooz-squoz… squoozable.”

“And that’s enough from you.” Dumping Cat on her bed, Kara grabbed a bucket and a glass of water, and set them both beside the bed. She had witnessed enough Amazons after festivals to know that Cat would be sick in soon from drinking herself into near unconsciousness, and would require hydration when she woke up.

Cat woke up periodically through the night, and was vaguely aware of puking her guts out in a conveniently placed bucket and soft hands holding back her hair. She came to when an evil ray of sunlight splashed across her face, sending bolts of pain straight to her head. “Ugh,” she muttered, rolling over to bury her face in the pillow. “My mouth feels like sandpaper and tastes like death.” A low snort drew her attention and she pushed herself up to see Kara sitting in her chair under her bed reading a book. “You laughing at me Larelle?”

“Of course not Grant,” Kara replied. “Just something I read in this book.”

“Oh yes, I’m sure philosophy 101 is a hilarious book,” Cat snarked, falling back down on her bed. She let out a shuddering sigh before deciding she needed to do something about the killer headache currently beating a tempo behind her eye. Slowly opening one eye, she focused on the bottle of advil and glass of water sitting on her night stand. Flashes of the night before raced through her mind as she quickly downed a few pills and chugged half of the water. The fact that her roommate, the woman she had been treating like dirt since the beginning of the semester, cared enough about her to make sure she didn’t die and would recover faster in the morning hit Cat fairly hard, bringing up an emotion she hadn’t felt in a long time, guilt. “So I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot,” Cat said, the words dragging painfully from her mouth. Kara just hummed and Cat resisted the urge to chuck the glass in her hand at the other blonde’s head. “I… I’m sorry.”

Kara closed her book and set it aside before she faced the repentant blonde. “It’s alright Cat, learning to live with someone new, it’s… it’s hard. But this doesn’t have to be a hostile experience, and you don’t have to walk in here all the time looking like you’re ready to fight someone or conquer a small country.”

“I would never settle for anything less than the world dear, you should know better by this point.” Cat replied flippantly before collapsing back on her bed. “You know, I don’t think anyone has ever taken care of me before when I was sick, not someone who wasn’t paid to do it anyway.”

“Don’t get sentimental on me Grant, I just didn’t want to have to deal with it if you died or puked all over your bed.”

Cat smirked and quirked a brow towards the older woman. “You know Larelle, this might not be a bad arrangement after all.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone gets excited, Cat and Kara won't have a romantic relationship in this story, at all, they're more like snarky best friends.
> 
> Anyway, since I went to see Aquaman, I was curious if anyone would want to see a Kara/Mera story? I mean, I would find Kara/Arthur stories interesting as well, because Jason Momoa is wow, just... wow, but anyway, someone else would have to write that one. I do recommend seeing it if anyone hasn't seen it yet, but also BUMBLEBEE! Bumblebee was probably the best Transformers movie since the first one, but it is being swamped by Aquaman and Mary Poppins, so definitely go support it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There I was, just existing, having a jolly night, about to go to bed, when I realized I hadn't updated this story yet and I was like crackers! Gotta do that! I'm glad Cat showing up has gone over well with all of you, she'll be a pretty big part of the story, though I'll stress again that Supercat isn't happening in this story, strictly platonic. 
> 
> Hope everyone likes this chapter, some thing kind of surprised me when I was writing it but I dig it.

* * *

 

The screams were probably what affected her the most. All night, every night, Kara could hear people throughout Metropolis suffering, screaming, asking for someone to help them. She could hear as businesses were broken, children were hurt, and people were violated and murdered. She could smell it in the air when something was burning in the city, when buildings, businesses, houses, burned down, when lives were ruined and homes were lost. Kara could drown them out through the day, focusing on other noises through the city, people bustling around, the hubbub of a busy city. But nights, at night there was nothing but the sound of the two heartbeats in her room, and Cat’s steady snores. 

It was easier on Themyscira, everything was quiet except for the murmurs of guards on night duty, the animals rustling, and the sounds of sleeping Amazons all around her. Smallville was a little louder with the movement of cars and how noisy humans were when they slept, but it was nothing, nothing compared to Metropolis. The noise was louder and constant, harder to block out. 

Kara managed the first few weeks in Metropolis by just not sleeping; she split her time at night between the library and a small 24 hour diner just off of campus. She didn’t want her roommate to know that she wasn’t sleeping, it would bring up far too many questions about how she was still able to function on little to no sleep. She hated not sleeping; even if she didn’t need to, sleep was still restful and restorative, giving her time to sort out problems of the day. 

Leaving late at night and sneaking back in before Cat woke up was difficult now since the two of them were on better terms. Kara knew that she couldn’t keep going like she was, but she didn’t see any other option, she couldn’t sleep, not in Metropolis, not when people were crying out in pain or distress. She was sitting in her study nook under her bed when Cat came slumping through the door, her bag dragging behind her. 

“I’m so tired of walking male privilege,” Cat groaned, dropping on her bed. “It’s toxic and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

“Class was that fun hmm?” Kara asked.

“Despite all of the progress made with the various waves of feminism, the world is still basically a boys’ club,” the shorter blonde answered. “There are a lot of successful women working in the field of journalism, but there’s still a barrier.” She stood up and started pacing, “My professor? That arrogant, greasy, walking male privilege told me that I better get accustomed to writing the gossip column when he handed out assignments for our final project today, like I couldn’t handle any more serious topics.”

“What topic did you get?” Kara didn’t know much about the classes that Cat was taking, but she knew that most of them were geared towards writing and being able to research properly.

Cat just waved her hand, “We were all given the same topic, a puff piece about some rich person dedicating a wing at the hospital. Happened a few years ago, nothing new or exciting. Just the way that he said it, still annoys me.”

“Maybe use this opportunity to prove him wrong,” Kara shrugged. “He doesn’t know you, this is your first semester here. Maybe it’s time you show them who you are and that you’re not one to be taken lightly.”

Cat stared at her roommate thoughtfully for a moment as she thought about what she said. “I could dig into the records,” Cat mumbled. “Really investigate this, see if there’s anything else to it other than what was presented. Very good Larelle, wasn’t expecting this from you, but you do occasionally have a devious side.”

Kara rubbed at bit at her temples before smirking at her roommate. “I do have the ability to surprise people every now and then.”

The younger blonde looked at her in concern, “Are you alright? You have a headache, migraine?” Kara just shrugged and Cat hummed unbelievingly. “You’re probably spending too many nights falling asleep at the library, don’t think I don’t notice you’re not here most nights, I’m not totally oblivious. Your workload can’t be too drastic yet can it?”

“It’s not that bad yet, but I like to stay ahead with my reading so that if I do fall behind I’ll be able to manage,” Kara replied. “But I also realized that Yom Kippur has started and I forgot to eat dinner before sundown.” 

“I didn’t know that you were Jewish,” Cat commented. “No offense but it doesn’t really fit.”

Kara shrugged again. “The Kents are Jewish,” she explained. “When they adopted my cousin, I decided to observe some of their traditions, including religious beliefs, I did the same when my mother adopted me.”

“So you’re adopted as well?” Cat asked. “What happened to your parents?” Kara just looked at Cat and her brow rose questioningly, and the younger woman realized her faux pas. “That was insensitive, you don’t have to tell me.”

“I just haven’t told many people,” Kara admitted. “When I was living at home with my mother, people just knew and I didn’t have to tell many people there. And when Martha and John adopted Clark and I went to stay with them for a while, I didn’t really make many friends in the town where they lived.”

“Small town syndrome,” the younger girl surmised. “It gets to everyone at some point. While in the first case, you knew everyone and everyone knew you, so made it easy, second case you were a newcomer so were left on the outside. It’s basically the same as in the big city except here you have to know someone or you’re always on the outside.” The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Cat moved back to her bed and laid down, staring up at the ceiling, while Kara resumed reading her book.

“I don’t think my family ever celebrated Yom Kippur,” Cat murmured, her eyes never straying from the ceiling. “I mean, I’m sure that my grandparents did and maybe my father when he was younger, but it wasn’t something that we have done as a family, not that I can remember.” Kara looked at Cat curiously but the smaller blonde just ignored her. “We celebrate Hanukkah and Passover obviously but most of the other ones…”

“The Kents told me that Yom Kippur was one of the most important days for the Jewish calendar, the holiest of holy days, the day of atonement,” Kara replied. “The day is spent in fasting and prayer, seeking atonement and repentance.”

Cat shrugged, “Yeah it’s just not… not something that many families celebrate anymore, outside of the orthodox families anyway.”

Kara was silent for a few minutes as she thought about what Cat had said. “My family, my birth family, the people I grew up with… They all died when I was thirteen in a fire, only I survived. My cousin, he, his parents… I didn’t know where they were so I was sent away, adopted in a different country. I had to learn a new language, new customs, I just… packed away what I was feeling. When I started staying with the Kents, they explained their religious beliefs to me, and the important days during the year. I really connected with the idea of Yom Kippur I guess.”

“How so?”

“I guess I always felt guilty that I survived and no one else did,” Kara admitted. “It was… it felt good to have a day to seek atonement, to meditate, and while I don’t follow the traditions of the Jewish faith in regards to the day other than fasting, I use it as a type of day of remembrance, to grieve, to atone.”

Cat let out a breath as she thought about what the older girl said. “I guess,” she started. “I guess I can see why you would observe the day, I might observe it with you if you don’t mind?” When Kara shook her head, the shorter blonde nodded, “Alright, well, a trade off would be you coming with me to the on campus Hanukkah celebrations, there’s some kind of Jewish organization or something doing something for Hanukkah and Passover in the spring. I wasn’t going to go of course, but since I find out my roommate is also one to observe the traditions, well, I guess I don’t have a choice now.”

“You could just not go,” Kara suggested but Cat just shrugged.

“Might as well, college is all about re-discovering yourself, drinking, Jewish club, pot brownies, same thing.” Kara didn’t know what pot brownies were and she didn’t think she cared to find out. “You know Larelle, you are surprisingly more complex than I thought you were,” Cat pointed out. “It might make this roommate situation more bearable you know, knowing that you’re not the stereotypical American corn field crop.”

“I’m glad I could provide some amusement for you Cat,” the older blonde answered. She stepped out of her study nook and changed her clothes into a simple pair of jeans, knee-high boots, and a hooded sweatshirt. “I’m going to go to the library,” she said, grabbing her bag. “Don’t wait up for me.”

“Don’t spend all of your time studying, it’s not good for you,” Cat called to her before Kara completely left the room. 

Kara quickly made her way to the library and stashed her books in her private study area before leaving the building. She zipped up her jacket and pulled the hood up to cover her bright blonde hair and disappeared into the streets of Metropolis, the city still humming despite the darkening skies. Noise vibrated around her, clogging her sense and clouding her mind. It was overwhelming how much noise was present in the city, how much chaos, how much pain. She stuffed her hands in her pockets as she walked, reining her senses in to focus on her breathing, the heartbeat in her chest, the blood rushing through her body. 

Walking helped; she was able to focus on her steps, her breathing, and it allowed her to acclimate to the city. Kara didn’t want to have to drown out the noise all the time, she didn’t want to live her life shut-down. She wanted to be able to hear the birds flying overhead, the sound of children laughing in the park, the first declarations of love after an engagement, the first toasts after a wedding, or even the first breaths of a baby. She didn’t want the dirt, noise, and evil of the city to drown out such beautiful things. Kara feared that eventually she would view the world the way the Amazons did, undeserving, unworthy. If people hurting, people in pain, if they weren’t worthy of someone extending a helping hand, then who was?

A slight noise broke Kara out of her thoughts, and she flicked her eyes around, searching for the source of the noise. It was a muffled sound, almost like a cat yelling from underneath garbage, but it was clear enough for her to hear it. There was an alley not to far from where she was standing, and with the darkening skies and the long shadows cast by the nearby buildings, it was nearly pitch black down the corridor. Her enhanced vision allowed her to see passed the shadows to the garbage and filth littering the alley. Hesitantly she stepped down the opening into the garbage filled back street, the muffled noise growing more prominent the further she walked. 

It wasn’t until she turned a corner to another side alley that she found the source of the noise. Her eyes lit up with rage when she caught sight of the small group of men surrounding the lone woman they had pressed against the harsh brick wall. Before she knew what she was doing, Kara had knocked the men away, shoving them further down the side alley until they hit another brick wall. 

“What the hell,” one of them muttered, stumbling to his feet. His heart nearly stopped though at the sight of a hooded figure with glowing eyes standing above him.

The stench of urine filled the alley and Kara’s face twisted in disgust at the men on the ground. “Leave,” she ordered. Her voice vibrated with power, lowering her voice to sound like an animalistic growl, something she had learned to do on Themyscira during island wide scavenger hunts. “And never threaten anyone the way that you have again.” The three men were running out of the alley before she could finish speaking, and Kara huffed at their cowardice, wondering what she would need to get that smell out of her nose. 

She turned around to where the woman had been and found her slumped on the ground, bruises already forming on her wrists and face. Kara carefully scanned the woman to make sure that she didn’t have any more serious injuries. When she was sure that the woman was alright, just passed out from shock, Kara sat back on her heels, unsure of what to do next. She didn’t want to leave the woman here, alone, where anything might happen to her, where something worse could happen to her, but she also didn’t want to invade her privacy by finding help or attempting to take her home. 

Kara sighed and took off her jacket, and tied it around her waist and pulled her hair up into a ponytail to get it away from her face. “Ma’am,” Kara tried, not wanting to touch the woman or possible scare her as she attempted to wake her up. “Ma’am, are you alright?”

The woman started to come to, the slight movements and light groans were key indicators, but the spike in her heart rate was a dead giveaway. “Wha- what happened?” The woman asked as she regained consciousness. Her heart started to beat erratically as she remembered what happened but Kara held out her hands attempting to calm the woman down.

“You’re okay,” Kara soothed, her voice low as she spoke. “You’re okay.”

“Who are you?” The woman asked, her eyes focusing on the blonde in front of her. 

“I’m Kara, Kara Larelle,” she answered. “I found you, back here in this alley, are you hurt?”

“I don’t, I don’t think so.” She winced and clutched at her stomach, causing Kara’s eyes to widen. Judging by what she saw there when she scanned the woman’s body, she would need to get to a hospital for a check up to make sure everything was okay. 

Kara held out her hand to the woman to help her up from the ground. “We need to get you to the hospital,” she said. “You should probably be checked over.”

“No, I’m sure I’m fine,” the woman muttered but winced again as she got to her feet.

“Well I would feel better if you did go to the hospital,” Kara countered. “Those bruises look pretty nasty.”

“Did you scare off the people who…”

“I found you,” Kara said instead of lying to the woman. “The three guys who attacked you ran off, I really would feel better if you went to the hospital, can I help you there?” The woman hesitated before nodded and Kara wrapped the woman’s arm around her shoulder, and helped her out of the alley. “What’s your name?” She asked, hoping to keep the woman talking. She didn’t know about the head injury she observed on the woman, and hoped that if she kept talking, the woman would stay conscious. 

“Eliza,” the woman answered. “Eliza Danvers.”

“Well Eliza, what brings you to Metropolis?”

“Sch-school,” she replied. “My husband and I, studying to be doctors.”

“Which school? Medical or…?”

“Metropolis University, and Jer-Jeremiah, my hus-husband, is working on his degree in astro-astrophysics. I’m working on Biology.”

“A couple of scientists, that’s really cool,” Kara commented but Eliza didn’t reply. “Eliza, Eliza!” She shook the woman slightly but she had already passed out. The hospital was still a few blocks away, so Kara carefully hefted the woman into her arms and sped through the back alleys. It didn’t take long to reach the hospital, and Kara set Eliza down, letting the woman’s body slump against her as she assisted her into the emergency department. 

“She was attacked,” Kara said when the nurse came out to them. “I found her, I think she hurt her head. She was talking a bit while we were on our way here but she passed out.”

“Do you know her name?” A doctor came up and asked while Eliza was put on a gurney. 

“She told me her name was Eliza,” the blonde replied. “Eliza Danvers, her husband’s name is Jeremiah I think?”

“We’ll need to get in touch with him, thank you for bringing her in,” the nurse said as the doctors wheeled Eliza away.

Kara watched her go for a moment before turning back to the nurse. “Is it alright if I stay?” She asked. “At least until you can get in touch with her husband. I kind of feel responsible for her.”

“Of course, though you know we won’t be able to tell you anything…”

The blonde just waved the nurse off, “I know, I just… I would like to stay.” The nurse waved her over to the waiting room and Kara slid down in one of the seats, and leaned her head back against the wall behind her. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, the air filling her lungs and rushing through her body. She could hear the air swirling in her blood, oxygenated cells full of sunlight powering her body, fueling her, keeping her alive. 

After she was centered, Kara turned her sense outward, focusing on the people around her before expanding to the rest of the hospital. She could hear a cacophony of sounds, especially in the emergency department. Directing her hearing away, she located the cancer ward, adults, children suffering from similar diseases, hearts beating slowly in their chests, their breathing erratic and heavy. The maternity ward was two floors above, babies in NICU being monitored in their pods, others sleeping soundly in beds watched over by attentive nurses and overjoyed parents, and then others being brought into the world by screaming mothers and steady doctors. It was beautiful and terrifying, listening to the beginnings of life and death in the same place, and it was hard, hard for Kara to make any sense out of what she was hearing with all the noise cluttering her mind. 

Kara took another deep breath and focused again, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. She could hear the doctor and nurse with Eliza, taking scans, giving her fluids. It wasn’t long before they found out what she did earlier, and they doubled their efforts to wake Eliza up. Her senses relaxed but she remained focused on the heartbeat she could hear, slow but steady. Listening to it, Kara let her mind relax and she completely lost all sense of time, space, everything but that steady beat.

She was roused from her meditative state when she heard Eliza’s name, and she refocused. There was an agitated man standing at the counter asking after the woman she had saved. “Someone contacted me in my lab, about my wife,” he rushed out. “They said my wife was here, Eliza, Eliza Danvers.”

“Jeremiah?” Kara asked, and the man turned around to look at her, his eyes wide. “I’m the one that brought Eliza in, she told me a bit about you as we were walking.”

“You brought her in, you were the one that found her?” Jeremiah asked, his words and thoughts disjointed.

Kara nodded, “Yes, I wanted to wait and see how she was, though they-”

Before she could finish, a doctor walked up to them and spoke to Jeremiah. “Jeremiah Danvers?” He asked. “I’m your wife’s doctor, I can take you to your wife, I would like to talk to you about her condition.” He glanced over to Kara and Jeremiah latched his hand to the blonde’s arm.

“She comes too,” Jeremiah declared. “She saved my wife, she comes too, I know Eliza would want that as well.”

“Are you Kara?” The doctor asked. When she nodded, he continued, “Mrs. Danvers woke up and asked for you after her husband, so if you would both follow me.”

He led them down the hallway to a private room just outside of the emergency department. Jeremiah rushed into the room first and gently embraced his wife who was awake and reclining against the bed. “I’m okay Jerry,” Eliza murmured, her voice low as she spoke into his ear. “I’m okay.”

“I love you,” he replied, and Kara looked away in embarrassment and shame. These were words that were meant to be shared between the two, between husband and wife, two lovers, they weren’t meant to be overheard by an alien with abilities.

The two broke apart and Eliza noticed Kara standing by the door to the room, shifting uncomfortably from side to side. “Kara,” Eliza called, motioning the other blonde over to the bed. “I was hoping you hadn’t left yet,” she said once Kara got to her side. “I wanted to thank you for getting me here, I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t have found me.”

“It was the right thing to do Eliza, don’t worry about it.”

The doctor cleared his throat, attracting the attention of the three people in the room. Eliza grabbed onto Kara’s arm before she could move away, and she resigned herself to being present for the rest of the conversation. “Mr. and Mrs. Danvers, I am Dr. Nunez, I examined Mrs. Danvers when she was first brought in several hours ago.”

_ Hours?  _ Kara thought and a surreptitious glance at the clock revealed that it was pushing midnight. 

“We ran the normal scans we usually do when dealing with such cases,” Dr. Nunez continued. “Mrs. Danvers has a slight concussion, and we would like to keep her for another 12 hour period for observation.”

Jeremiah nodded, “That’s standard I understand, my father was a GP and I observed many sports related injuries dealing with concussions.”

“I do have some hopefully good news,” the doctor continued. “While we were doing our scans, we noticed something, and I would like to offer my congratulations Mrs. Danvers, you’re expecting.” 

“Expecting,” Eliza muttered, still dazed. “You mean, I’m pregnant?”

“Yes, from our scans you look to be about four or five weeks, we didn’t want to go too in depth without your consent. I can set up an appointment with the hospital’s OBGYN if you would like?”

Eliza didn’t respond, just continued staring past the doctor, her eyes glazed and unseeing. Glancing from his wife to the doctor, Jeremiah decided to answer for her. “Can we take a few minutes to think about it, it’s already been a long day for my wife.”

“Of course, I’ll be back in a few hours to check on you.” The doctor nodded his head and left the room, leaving the three people to their thoughts.

Kara knew that the heartbeat she had been listening to earlier was the small life she had detected within the woman’s womb. She didn’t think it was right for her to be there, in the room with the two humans when they received the news. Eliza’s hand tightened on her arm again when she tried to move, so Kara just waited for the woman to finish processing.

“A baby,” Eliza breathed out. “A baby, I’m pregnant…” She turned her eyes to Jeremiah and they immediately filled with tears. “I’m going to have a baby, Jeremiah, we’re going to have a baby!”

“We are,” Jeremiah replied, tears in his own eyes.

“But, all our plans…”

“Take a backseat to our family.” He grabbed her free hand with one of his and brought their clasped hands up to his lips. “This,” he said, placing his right hand down on her abdomen. “This is our future and what we have to worry about. I, we, we can finish our degrees at any point, but this, this baby, he, she, they want to be with us now, despite our plans.” He pressed another kiss to his wife’s hand, “And we have been trying to have a baby, don’t deny that you thought we would never have one together.”

Eliza gave her husband a sad smile, “We tried, for so many months, years, I didn’t think it was going to happen, that’s why we decided to go back to school now and then maybe adopt a child in the future but this…”

“Is what we always wanted,” Jeremiah finished. “Our baby just decided to come to us later than we originally planned but earlier than our others. They wouldn’t be a Danvers if they couldn’t make up their own mind about these things.”

The woman smiled before turning towards Kara. “How can I thank you for getting me here? I don’t want to even think about what could have happened if I hadn’t been able to get medical attention when needed.”

“It’s alright Eliza, it was the right thing to do, I couldn’t very well leave you in that alley alone could I?” Kara squeezed the woman’s hand that was still latched onto her arm, and the woman relaxed her grip. “I need to get back to school though, I’ve got class first thing in the morning.”

“Of course, of course, I would hate for you to miss class because of me,” Eliza said. “Though, would you mind terribly if we keep in contact? You helped me, you were here when we found out we were going to be parents, I can’t help but feel there might be some force wanting you in our lives, wanting us in each other’s lives.”

Kara thought for a moment before nodding, she didn’t have many human friends, and these two reminded her a lot of her father and her uncles with their love of science. “There’s a phone in the dorm hall we can use,” Kara explained, jotting down the number on a piece of paper. “We can’t use it alot, but you can probably write to me, I have a campus mailbox, and if you want to meet up at any time… And this is number for my aunt and uncle in Kansas and their address.”

Jeremiah carefully took the piece of paper from the girl and fished out his own card from his jacket. “We don’t live too far from campus,” he told her. “Maybe when everything settles down and Eliza feels better, you can come over?”

“I’d like that.” Kara managed to leave the two not long after and disappeared out of the hospital into the darkened streets of Metropolis. Her nerves were jittering as the events of the night flitted through her mind. She had protected Eliza, saved her from something terrible, she used her abilities to do that, to help her. It wasn’t an act of a warrior on a field of battle, she didn’t have on a suit of armor to charge in and defeat an enemy, she had on a simple jacket with the hood pulled to cover her hair. 

Untying her jacket from around her waist, Kara tugged it on and pulled the hood over her head again. She walked until reached a relatively quiet part of the city and pushed off the ground, rising into the air to set down on the roof of one of the taller buildings. It was quieter high above the city, the noise of the road and people on the streets lessened away from the cramped feeling of the street. 

She pulled out her communication device and quickly activated it to call her mother, her hands nervous and quaking, her mind whirling. “Kara?” Pythia’s voice came through as the hologram projector flared to life, the silver haired woman’s face appearing a few seconds later. “What’s wrong?”

“I…” Kara started. “I did something…”

“Are you okay?”

Kara paced around for a few minutes before sitting down, her back resting against the lip around the edge of the building. “I think so,” she replied, letting out a light laugh. “I think I’ll be okay.”

Pythia studied her daughter for a moment, observing the light that sparkled in her eyes, a light that she hasn’t seen in the blonde since Diana left. “What happened?”

“I… I used my powers, sort of used my powers, I saved someone,” the blonde said slowly. “I helped someone.”

“You used your powers… how?”

“You know how I’ve been since moving to Metropolis, everything is so loud, so chaotic, haven’t been sleeping, haven’t been able to find any peace. I usually spend nights in the library or working in my room, but tonight, I left and started walking around the city. I guess I hoped… well I didn’t know what I hoped, I guess I hoped that if I walked, if I was surrounded by the sound, the noise, the chaos, that I would get used to it, that I would settle here. I just kind of… wandered for a while. I heard a noise down an alley, a slight noise, no one else would have been able to hear it, but I did and I looked.” Kara stopped and shook her head. “I found a woman, bit older than how I look, she was surrounded by three men and they were, they were trying… Anyway, I could feel my eyes heat up, you know how they light up and I moved, knocked the men away, slammed them down the alley. I used vibrations to alter my voice, make it deeper, more of a growl, and I scared them away.”

“Did they see you?” Pythia asked. “I mean did they  _ see you? _ ”

“No, I had a hood pulled up over my head and the shadows covered my face.”

“And the woman? Was she okay?”

Kara let out a barking laugh, “Yeah, yeah she’s okay. I took her to the hospital and I waited to make sure, her husband came later. Turns out she’s pregnant with their first child. She doesn’t know I was the one that chased the men away, just that I found her, the one that got her help when she needed it.”

“You helped someone, you  _ saved  _ someone Kara, that’s, that’s great. How are you feeling?”

“I… well I don’t really know. I feel nervous, terrified, excited, relief but beyond all that, I think I feel… good, like I finally found something that I can do with my abilities, with my training.”

“You want to protect people?”

The blonde hummed. “You know, Clark has these… comic books, they’re different from regular books. They’re illustrated scene by scene showing the characters and the dialogue is written in the scenes. A lot of times they’re about heroes, superheroes, people with extraordinary abilities or resources, and how they use these abilities to help people.”

“And that’s what you want to do, what you want to be? A hero?”

Kara shrugged, “I don’t know, what I do know is that I was saved from the destruction of my planet for a reason, and sent to a world where I have incredible powers. And I have the power to help people, wouldn’t it be wrong of me to not help them?”

“It would also be wrong for you to take too much on yourself,” Pythia commented. “Your parents sent you to this planet to live, not to spend your entire life helping other people.”

“I have to do something though,” Kara stated. “I can’t just keep listening to things happening around the city and do nothing to help people.”

“Then help them,” the older woman said. “But do not lose yourself in the process, do not take too much on yourself. Humans have their own protectors, their own laws and system of justice, you must also rely on them to do their jobs.”

“So you want me to stand down?”

“I want you to be smart Kara, I want you to be safe and happy. You have spent thousands of years training with us, learning how to be a warrior, to fight armies and enemies, but you won’t be doing these things if you become a hero. You will be fighting for the people, protecting them, but from the shadows to protect yourself as well, this will be very different from what you have learned.”

“This is something I feel I have to do Mom, I feel like I’m  _ meant  _ to be a hero.”

Pythia smiled at her daughter, “I know you will be sweetie, and I am so proud of you. Just maybe try to get some sleep please? For me? I know the city is loud and you do not really need sleep, but it is good for you, a way to process the day, and from what you have told me, you have had a long day.”

“I will try Mom,” Kara replied. “I’ll talk to you later.” She turned off the device and stood up from her place on the roof. Her gaze directed out over the city, one that had brought her hopelessness and pain since she arrived, now it was a place where she would find herself, find who she was meant to be.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so I was completely surprised when Eliza and Jeremiah showed up. Like I was wondering if Alex was going to be in the story, and then the Danvers just showed up and I was like well, I guess that answers that question. I am someone that does like to believe that Kara and Alex find each other in various universes in different ways, friends, sisters, lovers whatever, just feel that two people need to be in each other's lives somehow.
> 
> And I guess I'm still slightly salty on how the writers of the show took a beautiful relationship between Kara and Alex, the driving force behind season 1, and they've basically pushed it to the back burner for the most part except for a few small occasions. Ridiculous.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back with a new chapter? I know some of you were looking forward to college years, but I wasn't so I just popped right through them. Nothing exciting happened anyway. We already covered important bit of Kara deciding to become a vigilante. She basically becomes an urban legend, something that is just rumored about, wanders around at night. Basically Batman, just less... Bat like.

* * *

 

_ 3 Years Later _

_ 1991 _

 

“That vigilante has been spotted again,” Cat announced when she walked into her and Kara’s apartment. “Apparently stopped a mugging downtown near that bakery you like with those sinful croissants.”

“Are you still caught up on that vigilante thing?” Kara questioned from her place at her drafting table by the window. “It’s just an urban legend.”

“I thought so too at first, but the details from the eye-witnesses fall in line with how eye witness statements usually go,” Cat responded. “Enough details to notice the similarities, but also vague enough to not leave a great impression.” 

“Come on Cat, a figure in a hood with glowing eyes? How can that not be a legend?”

Cat waved her hand dismissively, “They’re probably wearing some kind of reflective glasses to hide their eyes and it just looks like their eyes are glowing.” She dropped her bag on the couch and pulled out her notepad. “I’ve been researching this vigilante, read all of the articles and even talked to a few of the witnesses. I have found a few people who have faked the encounter, too many details, amateurs, but I have noticed a pattern among the people who were confirmed witnesses.”

“A pattern?” Kara questioned, turning back to her table.

“Yes, though not location wise like I thought, pretty much these have been all over the city, though obviously more in high crime areas,” Cat mused. “But there is a pattern in the type of crimes and when. Each encounter with the vigilante has been at night, and the crimes he or she has prevented have been things the police wouldn’t have been able to get to until it was too late, like assaults or muggings. No one has gotten hurt, though apparently the vigilante has scared a lot of the perpetrators.” 

“Isn’t that usually how vigilantes work? If this one is real, wouldn’t they keep with standard vigilante tradition?”

The smaller blonde sighed and gave her roommate an unimpressed look. “For someone in an art field, you can have no imagination sometimes.”

“Okay, one, I’m working on an architecture degree, it’s very precise and creative,” Kara countered. “And two, I’m working on a design for your future dream empire, the least you can do is be appreciative.”

Cat’s eyes lit up and she slunk off the couch, draping herself around the other woman. “I am,” Cat cooed. “I am very appreciative, how is that going by the way?” She rubbed her head into soft blonde hair and Kara had to bite back the urge to make a cat joke; after four years of living together, she knew better. 

“I’m thinking a skyscraper,” Kara replied, showing her the drawings on the paper in front of her. “Different levels have different departments, might even be able to print in house. For the style of the building, I wanted to design it in a way that it would be a beacon of style and sophistication whenever you’re ready to open your empire, the cutting edge of architectural style.”

“Meaning what?”

Kara hummed, “I’m thinking windows, stainless steel, lots of light, and solar panels on the roof.”

“Solar panels? Really Kara?”

“Solar energy is making great strides Cat and in a decade or more, it’ll be even better. And wouldn’t you want your brand to be on the cutting edge of green technology, something environmentally and eco-friendly?”

“That does sound good though but cost efficient?”

“The solar panels could act as a backup power source if the building ever lost power, and eventually they might be able to run the building itself without any power supply.”

“This is sounding better and better, though I do have one suggestion to make on the name,” the shorter blonde said, pointing to where Kara had roughed in a name on the tower. “You have Grant Industries?”

“I kind of based it off of Wayne Industries in Gotham, you have something else in mind?”

Cat stepped away from her friend and did a dramatic spin around in the living room. “CatCo,” she said, splaying her hands out like she was revealing the secret to eternal youth. “CatCo Worldwide Media, it will be a sensation, I will have television, radio, newspapers everywhere, a magazine, maybe two.” The woman was lost in her dreams of her media empire. “It won’t just cover fashion, but special interest pieces, global news, politics, environment, everything that is news. CatCo will be at the top of journalistic integrity because I won’t settle for twisted facts or pieces bent in particular direction, the news is meant to be unbiased, reported to the people so that could formulate their own decisions.”

It was as a worthy goal, inspirational really, and it was something that Kara admired about Cat. She had never really thought about news, journalism before living with the other woman, and over the past three years, she has gained a new appreciation for it. Journalists weren’t perfect, they had opinions and beliefs just like every other human, but for the most part they did their best to report what was occurring in the world, making sure that people knew had the facts, even if it was just their perception of the facts. She wished there had been something like on Krypton, a group or a guild, people that would have forced the high council to be honest with everyone, people that would have made sure everyone knew what was happening rather than clamming up and letting everyone die without warning. 

Two thousand years was a long time to gain perspective, to start to look at things without rose tinted glasses or colored with bitterness and anger. She knew her world had problems, her home had problems, her culture, her people, there were so many problems, some of their own making, and some that seemed to be inevitable. She loved her family, and while the ache in her heart for them lessened over time, the pain faded with every passing year, it would never really go away. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t aware of their faults, or how they contributed to the secrecy on Krypton, to the lies told to people. She had raged at their holograms for their actions, or inaction, enough to last for several lifetimes. 

“So this media empire, you’re going to cover every type of news base?” Kara clarified, making some notes in her notebook. “Like TV, radio, newspaper…?”

“All of it,” Cat repeated. “Even something on that, what’s it called, that world wide web everyone keeps gushing over. That, that’s going to be big one day, and it will change the world. CatCo is going to capitalize on it.” She deflated after a moment and flopped down on the couch, “Just need to secure funding for it.”

“You can do it, you’re Cat freaking Grant, you can do anything. And besides, you have that what, that internship thing with the Daily Planet this year, that might be the thing to get your foot in the door.”

“Glorified coffee runs,” Cat grumbled out. “Though I have heard there might be a job opening next summer after we graduate, that will be my way in, I just have to write an article that really speaks to my skills as an investigative reporter.”

“Like what? Are you going to chase down this phantom vigilante and prove that they’re real?”

“I would like to talk to this person, yes, but you’ve fallen into the same trap that most people do, you assume that people want to know the identity of this person, this mysterious hero.” She disappeared into their small kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee. “You see, the thing about heroes is that people think they want to know who they are,” Cat said, sipping at the black liquid. “They think they want to know everything about them from their identities to their shoe size, but they don’t, not really.”

“What do people want then?”

“Ignorance of course,” Cat replied like it was the most obvious answer in the world. “Whether they believe it or not, people like the idea that anyone around them could be a secret hero, could be a secret millionaire, sometimes even a secret criminal, the thought thrills us, gives us something to speculate about, to imagine, to romanticize. Finding out if this vigilante is real and discovering their identity would what, give me one article when many more could be written about their exploits. I’m planning to play a long game Larelle, and to do that, I need to play smarter.” She set her coffee down and started pacing around the living room. “I need something sensational, something that will pull readers, make people want to read that stupid campus newspaper.”

Kara thought for a moment about a possible story for her roommate, something that could help her. She really tried hard not to listen to conversations around campus, nothing that she shouldn’t be able to hear anyway, but sometimes her mind wandered and she couldn’t help it. “I may have heard some… rumors…” Kara started slowly, reluctantly. She didn’t want to do anything about what she heard, what could she do? But Cat, Cat was a reporter, it was her job to track down the truth and expose it, she would know what to do.

“Rumors?” Cat questioned. “Rumors about what?”

“Something about the Dean of Students, that he’s into some illegal things.”

“The Dean of Students…” Cat blinked. “Harton Woolsen, that Dean of Students? The one that just announced his candidacy for governor and is currently sitting on city council?”

The older blonde nodded, “I’ve heard some rumors around campus that he has been trying to clean up something from his past.”  _ Or his present,  _ she thought. She couldn’t tell Cat that though, she couldn’t explain that she had heard Woolsen talking on his phone in his office from across campus. “Some people think he wants to clean up any whiff of scandal before his political career gets any more serious.”

“Hmm,” Cat hummed, sitting on the edge of the couch. “I don’t usually like to take rumors as basis for a story, but where there is smoke, there’s usually a fire. If he really is trying to clean something up before he starts his gubernatorial run, then I will find it!” She jumped up from the couch and dashed to her room, slamming the door shut a few seconds later.

Kara blinked and then glanced back down at her design, and guiltily bit her lip as she thought. She didn’t really know what she had put Cat on the trail of, she didn’t hear Woolsen’s entire conversation when he was discussing cleaning up a mess before he announced his candidacy for governor. Cat could take care of herself though, so Kara didn’t feel like she had to worry. Her roommate wouldn’t do anything stupid, she hoped, she hoped the woman wouldn’t do anything stupid.

 

* * *

 

“Hey cutie!” Kara cooed as a naked, squealing toddler ran up to her when she entered the Danvers household. She instantly scooped the girl up and started pressing kissed to her face, “How’s my favorite little girl?”

“‘Awa!” Alex squealed, her face scrunching with laughter as she giggled.

She smelled a faint scent of soap and sweat clinging to the toddler and Kara knew why she had caught the girl running around the house naked. “Did someone run away from Mommy during bathtime?” Kara asked, bouncing the girl in her arms. “Did someone want to avoid bath time?”

“Someone did,” Eliza replied, her tone both exasperated and exhausted when she finally appeared from the second floor. She set her hands on her hips and gave her daughter a disapproving look. Alex just turned around and hid her face in Kara’s neck, and wrapped her tiny arms around her shoulders. “Oh no you don’t,” the mother stated. “Don’t even think you can get yourself out of trouble by using your godmother as a shield.”

Alex let out a muffled giggle and Kara could feel her laughter blowing across her neck. “Mama scawy,” she murmured to her godmother and Kara nodded sagely.

“Yes, Mama is scary,” Kara agreed. “But she is right about bath time, good little girls don’t run away from their bath time, and it is necessary in order to make you nice and clean-”

“For the next time she decides to go outside and play in the mud,” Eliza interrupted, an unimpressed expression on her face. 

“Right, so you can be nice and clean the next time you decide to be queen of the mud puddles,” Kara continued, resisting the urge to snigger. She remembers some of the conversations she and Eliza had while the woman was pregnant, especially after finding out she was expecting a girl. The other blonde imagined bows, princess dresses, and tea parties, but instead she has a little girl that enjoys climbing trees, pushing things off of tables and counters to watch how they fell, and exploring every single mud puddle within a square mile. “Why don’t I take you back upstairs and we can slay some dragons in the bathtub, while your mom relaxes down here?”

The little girl pulled back from her godmother, and nodded; she wiggled in Kara’s arms until the blonde set her down, and scampered up the stairs, squealing the whole way. ‘Thank you,’ Eliza mouthed to the other blonde and Kara smirked before following the naked toddler up the stairs. “Okay ‘Lexie,” Kara said, scooping the girl up again. “Let’s see about slaying those dragons hmm?”

Kara filled the tub with warm water and kid-friendly bubble bath, testing the temperature to make sure it wouldn’t be too hot or too cold for her god-daughter. She picked up Alex and eased her into the bubbly water with a few of her bath toys, a couple of boats and a sea monster. “So is this the dragon we’re defeating?” Kara asked, lightly pushing the sea monster with her finger.

“No,” Alex squealed. “Gonna save the pwincess.”

“The dragon is going to save the princess?”

Alex nodded, “Fwom the piwates.”

“Okay, the dragon is going to save the princess from the pirates?” Kara clarified. “Why don’t you tell me about it?” The little girl started jabbering on in bits of English and gibberish, telling a story about a dragon that saves a princess from evil pirates and they live happily ever after with grilled cheese and potato cakes every day. While Alex jabbered away, mostly to the sea monster and boats keeping her occupied in the bathtub, Kara carefully scrubbed at dark red hair and soft skin, wiping away the bits of dirt and grime that clung to red strands and waving arms. 

Kara had grown used to being around the fragile human since the little girl was born mid April of her freshman year. Her previous experience with children was limited to helping Martha with Clark, so everything was new and very frightening when Eliza handed over the small pink bundle when she visited the woman in the hospital after giving birth. It was terrifying, hearing the tiny little heart beating in the baby’s chest, seeing her lungs inflate and deflate with small puffs of air, and feeling small arms wiggle around in her hold. She had never felt so scared in her life, not when her parents sent her away from Krypton, not when she landed alone on a strange planet, not when… not when Diana was leaving her, Themyscira, to help the humans, to fight Ares. But when she held that tiny baby in her arms for the first time and a soft, small hand wrapped around her finger, she had never felt stronger.

“Alright sweetie,” Kara murmured. “I’ll need you to close your eyes for me real tight while I rinse your hair out.”

Alex sucked in a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut tightly while Kara carefully poured a cup of water over her soapy head. The suds washed down her back and face until Alex’s hair was soap free. Kara poured a few more cups of water over her head for good measure before declaring the little girl clean. 

“Nooo,” Alex grumbled as Kara pulled her from the water. 

“First you don’t want bath time and now you don’t want it to end?” Kara hummed and wrapped the girl in a soft towel. “Not so bad now is it? Let’s get you into your pajamas so you can go to bed.”

“Noooooo,” Alex yelled and she took off giggling out of the room. The blonde could have caught up to the toddler with her super speed, but the thought of naked baby running around the house again was amusing. 

“Alexandra Kara Danvers what do you think you’re doing?! Eliza bellowed and Kara zipped downstairs to find the woman chasing the squealing toddler around the living room.

The girl dashed away from her mother and right into Kara’s arms, giggling and wiggling the whole way. “Alright, that’s enough from you,” Kara said. She slipped on a pull-up over wriggling legs, and a freshly laundered onesie soon followed. “Time for good little girls to go to bed,” she murmured, lowering her voice.

“No sleepy Awa,” Alex replied, a yawn interrupting her words. 

“You’re not sleepy? Well then…” Kara took a deep breath and started singing ‘Stay Awake’ from Mary Poppins. It was one of the few movies the Kents had in their collection and she had fallen in love the first time she watched it. The song never failed to put Kal right to sleep and Martha never failed to employ it when the little boy was being difficult. When Kara started babysitting Alex for Eliza and Jeremiah, she employed the tactic as well and it worked every time. A few minutes later, Kara was holding a snoozing toddler in her arms and Eliza was looking at her with an expression that was a mixture of gratefulness and fondness. 

Eliza held her arms out and Kara seamlessly transferred the girl from her arms to the other woman’s. “I swear I would hire you as a full time nanny if you didn’t have school and your work study job.”

“You wouldn’t be able to afford to feed me every day,” Kara teased. It was a running joke between them, every time she came over, Eliza would joke about feeding two tiny horses in having to feed both Kara and Alex, and Kara would joke about inventing a machine that created food so Eliza wouldn’t have to feed her. 

“Speaking of that, I ordered some food, didn’t feel like cooking. It should be here soon if you want to take care of that while I put little Miss here to bed,” Eliza said, gesturing towards the bundle in her arms. 

Kara waved her away and got some drinks out while the other woman went upstairs to tuck Alex into bed. A knock sounded on the door a few minutes later, and Kara easily carried the pizza boxes into the kitchen and set them on the counter. Eliza re-appeared not long after Kara had poured her a glass of wine, baby monitor in hand. “She is out like a light,” the woman sighed, slumping into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “She has so much energy sometimes, I don’t know how she has that much energy.”

“Makes you wonder if we were ever that young doesn’t it?”

Eliza hummed, “Well I know you were, don’t think I haven’t seen you jogging around the neighborhood first thing in the morning in nothing but a pair of shorts and a hoodie.”

“I like jogging early,” Kara defended. “It’s one of the few times when the city is still quiet, sort of quiet anyway.”

“You mean you don’t get catcalled as often.”

“They are so annoying, but since you and Jeremiah helped Cat and I get an apartment off campus this year, it hasn’t been so bad.”

“That was more for other students than for you, dealing with your dorm mates in the counseling center that Cat has verballing eviscerated for disturbing her was getting out of hand.”

“No one can tear someone down like my roommate can,” Kara agreed, sipping at her own wine. “We should have a wine and pizza night more often, Cat doesn’t think they go together.”

The scientist held up her hand and waved her finger, “Oh no, wine goes with everything.”

“That’s what I tell her!” Kara exclaimed. She picked up a piece of pizza and groaned as the cheesy garlic flavor hit her taste buds. “Cat’s not a big fan of pizza though, if you ask her anyway, but when I order pizza, she always eats at least three slices, usually more if she hasn’t eaten in a while.” She quickly devoured the slice of pizza and started on another one, “So how are Jeremiah’s classes going?”

“Good, and with the rate he’s going on his dissertation, he should be done within two or three years.” The woman set down her half eaten piece of pizza and sighed, “To tell you the truth, I’m relieved he’ll be done so soon even if he’s working like mad to get everything done.”

“Why?”

Eliza sighed again, “I don’t want to raise Alex in Metropolis, the city is too large and too… cluttered… Both Jeremiah and I grew up in a small town, and I want that for Alex as well. Room enough to run around without having to worry, a place to grow, a place to conduct those science experiments, somewhere where she can see stars.”

“You don’t have to explain it to me, I grew up in… well not exactly a small town, but somewhere away from clutter and noise,” Kara explained, thinking of her time on Themyscira. “And my aunt, uncle, and cousin live in the definition of a small town in Kansas, so I do understand. Where are you planning to move?”

“Back to our hometown hopefully,” Eliza answered. “Midvale California, nice small little town on the coast. Jeremiah inherited a house and some land from his parents, and my parents still live there. It will be good for Alex, for all of us, to be away from the congestion of the city and out where she can play and be around family.”

“Will you be able to finish your degree?” Kara asked. “And will both of you find work?”

The other woman nodded, “I’ve been working on my coursework, which has been easier since you’ve been looking after Alex when you can, and I’ll be able to finish my dissertation from Midvale. There’s also an university in a neighboring town that has been talking to Jeremiah and I for when we get finished with our degrees, we might be able to find work there. They have growing astronomy and marine biology programs, and they want younger teachers to help build up the college of science.”

“Sounds like it would be stupid of you two not to move once Jeremiah has finished his degree and you’ve mostly finished yours,” Kara agreed. “You have a house, jobs waiting for you, family, you might as well.” She sighed, “Still, California? I’m going to miss you guys, couldn’t you find jobs in the Midvale just outside of Metropolis?”

“I wish, I can only imagine how heartbroken one little girl is going to be in a few years, she’s going to miss having her ‘Aunty Awa’ over every other night to watch her, tell her stories, sing her to sleep…”

“Awe, I’ll miss all of you, and my Alex snuggles, but we still have a few years yet. By that point, hopefully I will have a job and will be able to afford long distance phone calls. Right now Cat’s mother is paying for them so she doesn’t have to come visit her daughter and do check-ins via the phone, but I have a feeling once Cat graduates, we’ll have to figure out another way to pay for it.”

“You don’t think that she’ll keep paying for it?”

Kara scoffed, “The Wicked Witch? I doubt it unless it benefitted her in some way.”

“She must be a delight to deal with.”

“Mhm,” Kara mumbled around the slice of pizza in her mouth. “Which is another reason why I am forever grateful that you and Jeremiah helped us get an apartment in your neighborhood so she will stop popping in whenever she pleases.”

“I suggest keeping a bucket of water around in case the witch appears again, that usually works when dealing with wicked witches.”

The alien smothered down a laugh and quickly downed more of the pizza, eventually finishing off the entire one in front of her. They talked about other things, work, school, possibly taking Alex to the new Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast, that was coming out in a month. Kara didn’t think that the toddler would have the patience to sit through the movie in the theater, but every now and then Alex would get entranced by something and would sit still for hours. 

Jeremiah returned a couple hours later a little after nine and managed to snag a piece of pizza before the two women could eventually eat through the rest of it. “Did you two ladies have a good evening?” He asked, pressing a kiss to his wife’s temple. “And did the delightful little hellion get to bed on time?”

“Alex is out like a light thanks to Aunty Awa,” Eliza sighed, grinning at her friend. 

“You truly are a miracle worker Kara.” Jeremiah shook his head, “What would we do without you?”

“You would manage as best as you could,” Kara grinned as she replied. She stood up from her seat and stretched a bit to give her muscles an opportunity to breath. “I really should be getting back to the apartment, I’ve still got homework and tests coming up.”

“Would you mind watching Alex on Saturday night? I know that’s one of your few nights off but we would really appreciate it.” Jeremiah smiled down at his wife, “It has been far too long since Eliza and I have been able to go out, and I would like to take advantage of a brief respite from our hectic schedules to take my wife on a date.”

“Awe,” Kara cooed and wrapped her arms around both of them. “You guys are so cute!” She squeezed them tightly to her in her exuberance, pulling slight groans from both of them. “Sorry, sorry,” she said, releasing them. “Just get over-excited sometimes, you guys are too cute. I’ll watch Alex, no problem, we’ll probably just watch The Little Mermaid a million times like normal.”

“Alex enjoys all of her time with her Aunt, so no doubt she’ll enjoy it,” Eliza replied, patting her friend on the shoulder. “We’ll see you on Saturday.”

Kara left the house and started walking the several blocks back to her apartment; she tugged her jacket tighter around her and pulled the hood up over her head as she walked, her control on her senses loosening. Just when she reached her apartment building, a faint sound reached her ears before it became a resounding roar setting everything in her mind on alert. “Cat,” Kara murmured, her body turning towards the sound. She started running before she knew what she was doing, Kara was sprinting towards the sound pounding in her ears. 

The blonde kept to dark alleys for a while before leaping into the sky and jumping from building to building, zeroing in on the location where she heard her best friend’s muffled shouts. She quickly found the smaller woman being held in an abandoned warehouse at the docks. Kara was sure that Cat would have something to say about how cliché the situation was, but she was more concerned with getting the woman out of whatever trouble she had gotten herself into.

She crept around the warehouse where she heard Cat’s heartbeat and muffled protests, and peered through the walls to better assess the situation. It was an older warehouse, one constructed with lead in the frame that blocks most of her sight through the walls of the building. She glanced up at the windows on the top of the building and pushed off the ground, grabbing lightly onto the ledge when she reached the glass.

The glass was dirty and would have blocked the average human’s view but the lack of lead in the glass easily allowed Kara to see down to the floor. Cat was easy to spot, the dim light in the warehouse reflected off of her blonde hair, and Kara would recognize that bored and furious expression anywhere. She had a gag tied firmly over her mouth, explaining the muffled shouts Kara had heard, and her stony expression was fixated on the three men across from her. Kara didn't recognize them personally but knew the type, she had run into people like them with her work as a vigilante, gangsters, drug-dealers, she didn’t know if there was a difference. How did Cat get mixed up with gangsters and why did they kidnap her?

“Well Miss Grant,” the man in the middle spoke, his teeth glinting in the low light. “Our boss has been anxious to meet you. It seems that you have made some people nervous with your poking around, we’ll have to tell him you’re nothing but an intern.”

The younger woman let out a stream of insults from behind the gag but Kara understood every single one of them and shook her head. “Oh Cat,” Kara muttered. “Don’t encourage them.” The man peaked her interest a bit when he mentioned his boss and that Cat  _ had  _ been investigating something. She just hopes that this doesn’t have anything to do with what she told her a month ago about Dean Woolsen. She had never mentioned it again so Kara was hoping that what she had heard proved to be nothing more than covering up an affair or something morally wrong rather than anything legally troubling. “Need to get Cat out of there before she gets her fool self killed,” Kara mumbled as she floated up away from the window, making sure to stay out of sight. 

Staying to listen would have given her more answers as to what was going on, but Kara wasn’t willing to put Cat in any more danger. She sped around the warehouse, looking for any other way in other than the door which would put her roommate in danger, but didn’t find any other entrance. “Looks like I’m going to have to go for an obvious entrance,” Kara mumbled, glancing at the sky-light on the roof. 

Cat continued mumbling and spewing insults at the idiots in front of her; she can’t believe that she let herself get kidnapped by the three stooges, if her mother ever found out, she’d never live it down. She had been investigating Dean Woolsen for the past month since Kara had told her that she heard rumors of him trying to hide something from his past, hoping for something more than an affair or a drinking habit. Her investigations had just uncovered a piece of damning evidence, something much more than what she originally hoped for when Moe, Larry and Curly snatched her from the parking lot of the coffee shop just off campus. She could kick herself for being so careless, some of the people she had been talking to must have blabbed about what she was researching.  _ Live and learn,  _ Cat thought dryly, if she managed to live through the present situation anyway.

The sound of glass breaking overhead drew her attention and before she could blink, a lithe figure in a dark hoodie was crouched in front of her, head bowed with one knee and fist touching the ground.  _ The vigilante,  _ she thought,  _ they do exist.  _ The men cried out in surprise and fear at the appearance of the figure, some of it no doubt a reaction to the supposedly glowing eyes the vigilante was said to possess. Cat wished that the figure would turn around so she could get a better look.

When the gangsters pulled guns out of their pockets, she wished that she would learn to keep her wishes to herself. The men started firing their weapons, and her eyes screwed shut at the sound, not wanting to witness the fall of her would-be hero. Everything went silent a few moments later except for a few quiet thumps and the sound of light footsteps making their way back to her. “You’re safe now Miss Grant,” a pitched voice spoke, alternating between low and high sounds. Cat’s eyes crept open and she was met with the sight of the vigilante in front of her, hood pulled low over her head so that the only things clearly visible on her face were her glowing eyes. She was momentarily shocked at the confirmation that the eyes were in fact glowing. 

She blinked and in that moment between when she closed her eyes and opened them again, the vigilante was gone, leaving Cat alone with three unconscious gangsters. The bindings around her hands and legs had been untied, so she quickly pulled the gag out of her mouth and left the warehouse. A few blocks away, Cat finally located a pay phone and called the police, giving an anonymous tip to locate the men and evidence left behind. She didn’t stop to wait for them though, her mind was consumed with what had happened, her being kidnapped and then her eventual rescue by the mysterious vigilante. Her mind continued to mull over events the entire way home, which wasn’t as long as it could have been since she caught a taxi when she got back to a main road. 

Walking into her apartment well after midnight, Cat found her roommate still up and at her drafting table. Kara turned towards her, her eyes full of questions and concerns, which helped the shorter woman firm her decision. “Kara,” she said, meeting her eyes. “We need to have a talk.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many of you were wondering who's gonna make Kara's costume, so let me tell you that she'll go through a few phases as a hero before ending up in her final incarnation that I created particularly for this story. It won't be a mini-skirt so people can breathe easy on that I guess, as for what it will be, we have quite a lot to get through first.
> 
> And as for when Diana will show back up, well, it might spoil if I tell you, if you kept up with what I told you I was using for references for this story, you might have a basic framework of timeline. Kara has a lot of growing to do first though. Diana knew that she wanted to be a hero, and then apparently spent a lot of time stating that she didn't. Kara though, Kara didn't know, still doesn't really, so she's got some growing to do. 
> 
> And before anyone asks, Cat won't be having Adam in this story. It didn't fit, so I took him out. Carter will still exist though because he was kind of fun.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very tired, like super tired. I've also gotten bored recently so I started plotting out some of the old prompts and stories I had in my to-do file. Made some headway on some, stared blankly at others. We shall see how they go in the future.  
> On a similar note, I hope you guys don't get tired of obnoxiously slow burn, because Diana is not going to show back up for a while timeline wise. Kara still has to go through some things and honestly I do have a plan on how they're going to meet again and it's not for a while. And I don't want to jump right to it so we're going on this hero's journey with Kara. Diana, Wonder Woman, she gets awesomely directed movies and brilliant actors. Kara, well, she gets me sitting around when I'm supposed to be working thinking of ways I can make her life difficult and how many snappy lines I can give Cat in a single chapter.

* * *

 

“Okay,” Kara blinked, setting her pencil down. “Are you going to tell me where you’ve been first? It’s after midnight, I was getting worri-”

“When were you going to tell me that you were the mysterious vigilante?”

“What?” Kara sputtered. “What are you talking about?”

Cat narrowed her eyes and marched up to her roommate, “Don’t even try that with me, we have been living together for over three years now, you don’t think I’d recognize you or what you normally wear? The glowing eyes threw me for a minute but I figured you had a good explanation for that.”

Kara looked away from a moment before responding, “I don’t know what you’re talking about Cat, glowing eyes? Me a vigilante? Did you hit your head today?”

The shorter blonde growled a bit and stormed away from the other woman. “We’re really going to do this? We’re going to argue over something we both know is true? So you’re telling me if I go to the most dangerous part of town in the middle of the night by myself, the vigilante isn’t going to show up when I inevitably attract the wrong kind of attention?” Cat scoffed, “Get serious Kara, I know it’s you, all I want to know right now is if you were ever planning on telling me?”

Sighing, Kara looked back at her friend, her best friend, “You’re not going to let this go are you?”

“You know me better than that by now Larelle,” Cat declared. She sat down on the couch and crossed her legs and arms, “Spill.”

Kara sighed, slowly exhaling through her nose. “Okay, fine, yes I’m the ‘vigilante’ as the rumors have said,” she grumbled out. “You happy now?”

“No,” Cat cried out. “You’ve been putting yourself in danger for three years and I never noticed! I mean, I noticed you weren’t really in the room a whole lot at night, but I just thought you had insomnia, I didn’t think you were out saving people and scaring bad guys.”

“I can take care of myself Cat, I’m a lot tougher than I look.”

Cat scoffed, “Oh I know, I just witnessed you dropping from a skylight with glowing eyes, saving me from a trio of idiotic gangsters, which I appreciate by the way, but the point is that I didn’t know any of this before. I didn’t see it before, despite being this close to you.” She started pacing around, waving her arms. “What kind of journalist am I going to make if I can’t even see the biggest secret in the city right in front of me? Living with me? I can’t believe I missed this much, so close, just argh!”

“It’s okay Cat, I’ve gotten really good at hiding things. I’m surprised that you figured it out at all.”

“I have seen you naked Larelle, those glowing eyes and hoodie don’t fool me.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Kara, “How do you make your eyes glow anyway, some kind of glasses?”

“Do you want the easy answer or the difficult one?”

“I would like the truth,” Cat returned. “No matter what it is.”

“Even if the truth means that I’m alien from another planet that has been living on this planet for over two thousand years?”

Cat blinked and sank back down on the couch. “Well…” She started after a few minutes. “That would be an interesting story that I would like to hear.”

“Off the record of course Grant.” The other woman just nodded in agreement and Kara sighed before starting her story. She had only really shared the whole truth with someone once, when she first met the Kents, and she hadn’t really given it any thought at the time when she did. Now that she was a little wiser, Kara realized how fantastic the story sounded, and how absurd it would sound to the average human. She had noticed from living among the humans how sceptical they were, of practically everything. Some wanted to believe more than what they could see, what they could prove, but with the louder voice of many, the some were often cowed into submission and silence.

“So let me get this straight,” Cat started after she had finished her story. “You’re an alien.”

“Yes.”

“From a different planet alien.”

“Yes.”

“Your planet died, and you were sent away to safety and you ended up being sucked into a black hole?”

“Yes.”

“And because of that black hole you were sent over 2000 years into the past to an island that is invisible to… well… most everyone where an ancient race of immortal warrior women live as part of this epic lesbian fantasy.”

“Also yes.”

Cat hummed as she thought about the information Kara presented her. “Well,” she stated. “Normally I would think you were crazy, but the story is just too absurd to be anything but true.” She gave the other blonde an assessing look, “So are there other kinds of aliens on Earth or is it just you?”

“Well the Amazons had records of my people traveling to Earth a long time ago,” Kara replied. “And there are, or were, other species on planets in this galaxy, some that were fairly advanced, so only natural that they would venture to this planet in the past as well.”

“Why haven’t we heard of any of them then?” Cat asked. “I mean, there have been reports of UFO sightings and alien influence on history, but those have been mostly discounted or debunked.”

Kara sighed, “Think about it Cat, humans can barely tolerate each other, you expect me to believe that humans will be open and accepting of aliens from another world?”

Cat held up her hand, “Fairpoint, I see what you mean, human suck, just in general. I mean, slavery still exists in the world, we just got rid of it in this country a century ago but we still can’t treat each other with respect, black, white, male, female. Truthfully I’m more surprised that aliens bother to come here at all.”

“Humans have a tendency to believe that aliens would be these advanced beings and would come to make Earth a better place or to take over,” Kara said. “Jonathan had me watch a bunch of science fiction movies with him over the years. But they never really take into account that with advanced technology, that aliens might be just like humans, suffering from the same problems, same failings.”

“I can see that,” Cat nodded. “So the glowing eyes, how do you do that?”

The older blonde smirked and her eyes lit up, glowing a brilliant white, holding them at the point just before heat beams would fire and burn everything in the vicinity. “It’s part of being an alien,” Kara explained, letting her eyes cool. She moved to sit next to Cat on the couch as she tried to explain about her biology. “My species, Kryptonians, had evolved for thousands upon thousands of years to absorb solar radiation. Our sun Rao was our god, our father, he gave us light so it is only natural that we evolve to absorb its power. Since Sol, your yellow sun, is much younger than Rao, when my body absorbs its light, it manifests in interesting ways.”

“The glowing eyes?”

“Yes, and other things…”

“Such as what?” Cat questioned, her eyes narrowed.

“Let’s just leave that as a mystery for now.”

Cat hummed, “I will get it out of you eventually Larelle.”

“I have no doubt.” They were silent for a few minutes before Kara spoke again. “Those men that took you,” she started. “Do you know why they kidnapped you?”

“They mentioned that their boss wanted to meet me, something about poking around where I didn’t belong. The only thing that I have been researching is Woolsen.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that, I’m annoyed at myself that I got you into this situation by telling you what I had been hearing.”

“It’s not your fault, I was being careless with my poking around,” Cat replied. “I never thought that Woolsen would be involved with gangsters, or mobsters… I can’t tell the difference.”

“What have you found so far?” Kara asked, and Cat just shrugged.

“That’s the thing, I haven’t found anything, nothing damning anyway.” The younger woman moved back to her room to grab her notebook off her desk, and returned to the living room. “The only unusual thing I have found,” she muttered. “Is that he was the swing vote for the new legislation for the harbor, sided for new import regulations, how many times shipments were inspected. Most of the information says that he would have voted against the new regulations, since they would cost more money, but he approved them.”

“Did you find anything else that was weird?”

Cat glanced through her notes before her eyes fell on something she had just recorded in passing. “He purchased a yacht six months after the vote passed…”

“He bought a yacht?”

“Yes, like one of those nice ones, really nice ones, not a simple sailboat…” Cat murmured. “I just made a note of it, hadn’t really thought about it at the time, but it seems odd timing, and his finances never seemed to support the ability for such frivolous spending.”

“You think he was bought off for his vote?” The older blonde questioned. “But he voted for heavier restrictions on imports in the harbor, how would that-”

“They could control it,” Cat interrupted. “These heavier restrictions are just a front to cover for some kind of smuggling operation. If they could get more restrictions placed, they can control what comes in and out of that harbor, sneak in through the new security and inspectors that were hired, plant their own people instead.”

“But who are they? Who would bribe a city commissioner in order to gain control of the harbor?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to keep digging and run with this,” Cat stated. “I don’t think I’ll be able to find out who is behind this, but I will be able to prove corruption with this information and a few more pieces. Woolsen of course will be hit with a scandal and have no choice but to resign from the city council, and probably the school as well. Oooh, this story will be good, will definitely make the people at the Daily Planet take notice. I have to start working on this right away.”

When Cat made to start pulling out her notebook, Kara held up her hand to stop her. “Cat, it is after midnight, you have been through an ordeal, you need to sleep.”

“Sleep is for slackers Kara, do you know how much I could get accomplished during the time we’re supposed to sleep?”

“Absolutely nothing because you would be exhausted and unable to really focus. You’re adrenaline has been pumping this whole time but when you come down, you’re going to crash, and you’re going to crash hard.”

Cat knew that her roommate was right, she could already feel herself coming down from the high caused by adrenaline racing through her system. “Fine,” she grumbled, heading back towards her room. She stopped before she could reach the door and glanced at the older blonde. “Before I forget, what happened to your friend, Diana? You said she left Themyscira to fight in WWI, but you never mentioned what happened to her.”

Kara froze; it had been years since she really thought about what happened to Diana. She thought about the woman, her dearest friend, all the time, she was never far away from her thoughts, but she tried not to think about how Diana left, about how everything ended between them, ended before it even started. She knew that there was something between them, though it took her a long time to realize it, and time away from Themyscira to figure out what she wanted. The culture she was born in demanded monogamy in relationships, marriage, bonding on intellectual and spiritual levels, but the culture she was raised in, the Amazons, they were more fluid with their relationships.

Sometimes, in her lowest moments, she wonders if she made the right decision, to not try with Diana, to listen to her when she said to stay on Paradise Island, to let her go fight alone. “I don’t know,” Kara replied honestly, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I wish I did.”

 

* * *

 

“Kara!” Clark bellowed, charging at the blonde woman when she stepped out of the farmhouse. The boy had just gotten off the bus after school when he saw his cousin’s truck sitting in the driveaway. “I didn’t think you were going to be here in time for Hanukkah.”

“I managed to get everything finished and turned in early,” she said, picking up the eight year old and tossing him in the air after the bus drove away. “How’s Pete? Have you two given Aunt Martha and Mrs. Jones any more trouble?”

“We never cause trouble Kara,” the boy protested. “We just like to adventure!”

Kara hummed and set the boy down, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to lead him into the house. “Really? So when Martha called me a few weeks ago complaining about how you and Pete had taken another scarecrow out of the field and were using Gertrude to practice your jousting…” She glanced over at the small paddock over by the barn and saw the old, dappled gray mare staring at them. Gertrude was brought into the Kent family fold the summer after she went to college, when Kara stumbled across the horse and her owner on the drive back to Kansas. He was an old farmer which was evident by the deep lines on his face and his tanned, weather-beaten skin. The wrinkles around his eyes crinkled when he smiled, showing that while it was a hard life of work, it was also a life of smiles. Arthritis in his knees kept him from being able to ride anymore, and while his daughter was taking care of the farm, she had her own horses to help her herd the animals. He wanted Gertrude to go to someone that would be able to take care of her and keep her active as much as the ornery horse wanted. A few minutes later, Kara was handing over the few hundred dollars she had left after buying a truck, and attaching a small horse trailer with Gertrude in it to the back of said truck. Clark was thrilled with the new addition to the family while Jonathan and Martha just sighed and rolled their eyes.

“Gertrude makes the best knight’s steed,” Clark defended. “We were practicing in order to defeat the dragon.”

“And it was necessary to steal one of the scarecrows because…?”

Clark shrugged, “We needed something to charge at and the scarecrow didn’t move like some of the other things we tried.”

Kara almost asked about what else they had tried to practice with but stopped herself before she could, she didn’t want to know. “Maybe next time instead of destroying the scarecrows, you could just practice with a few bales of hay,” she suggested. “Just stack them up and away you go.”

The boy let out a long-suffering sigh and Kara smiled at the dramatics of his cousin, her Uncle Jor and Aunt Ala would be proud of how he grew up, and would hopefully be proud of the man he would become. “The hay bales wouldn’t be as fun though,” he grumbled.

“Yes, but I wouldn’t be getting exasperated calls from Aunt Martha about having to apologize to Mrs. Jones about sending her son home caked in mud and straw.”

“That wasn’t from the jousting,” Clark defended. “That was from the obstacle course we set up with Dad, we were doing the mud crawl.”

“Were you?” Kara hummed, “Did Aunt Martha know about Uncle Jonathan’s assistance in these endeavors?”

Clark hummed, “Yeah, she was really mad, but she didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t say anything about what?” Martha asked when she stepped out onto the porch, a large plate of cookies in her hand.

“Cookies!” Clark cheered, using super speed to zip up the stairs and steal the plate from his mother. “Thanks Mom!”

He disappeared into the house and his mother yelled after him, “Make sure you do your homework first before eating those cookies!” She shook her head and look back at Kara, “Boys, I imagine it’s just going to get worse when he hits his teenage years, unless your species manages to avoid puberty?”

Kara chuckled at Martha’s hopeful question, “Sorry Martha, but pretty much every species I know of goes through some growing pains at one point or another during their lifetimes, some even go through a few different stages.”

“Nope, no, I will take a few years of puberty rather than having to deal with it for longer,” Martha replied. “The boy already eats as much as a horse, I can’t even imagine what he’s going to be like to feed when he’s older.”

“Lots of protein and high calorie energy bars should keep him just fine,” the blonde told the woman. “Just make sure he isn’t loading up on carbs all the time, I ran into that problem when I was on Themyscira. Bread is just really good you know?”

“You grew up slowly with the Amazons didn’t you?” Martha asked. She motioned for the other woman to sit down at the kitchen countered and poured both of them cups of coffee. “So how long did you have to go through ‘growing pains?’”

Kara shrugged, “It was hard to tell, I spent most of my days training, learning, or playing with Diana. Every day was pretty much the same, so a month, a year, two, ten, they didn’t really matter. The barrier around the island slowed Diana and mine’s aging until we just stopped.”

“Will that happen to Clark? Will he stop aging or was it because of your time on a magic island?”

“Kex has spent years analyzing different variables and he claims that because of our absorption of yellow sun rays, Kal and I will live for a long time, though there is no real way to know for sure.”

“That must be hard,” Martha murmured. “To know how long you might live.”

“There are many things about life that are hard, things that I’ve had to adjust to in order to be able to live on this planet, to get past what happened to mine.” Kara hummed a bit as she sipped at her drink, “If I was afraid to get close to people because there was a chance I would outlive them, outlive all of them, then I would have kept myself on Themyscira with others similar to me, others that would essentially live forever.” She glanced down at the cup clutched between her hands, “My parents didn’t want that for me though, wouldn’t want that for me. They wanted me to live, and if that means I have to say goodbye to people eventually, then that’s something I will deal with. And it just means that there are even more hellos.”

“You have a… refreshing perspective on life Kara.”

“When you lose so much early in life, you gain an unique understanding of loss. I could either cling to everyone I have and worry about when I might lose them, or enjoy the time I have, each and every minute.”

Martha shook her head, “You look far too young to have such knowledge, but appearances are deceiving in your case.”

A crash from upstairs in Clark’s bedroom broke the two out of their conversation and Kara immediately glanced up through the floorboards to see what was wrong. “Kal-El!” She hissed out. “Didn’t you mother tell you to do your homework before eating your cookies and playing with your toys?”

“Uhh…”

“If you don’t finish your homework, no latkes and sufganyot for you mister!” Martha yelled up at him.

“I’m doing it, I’m doing it!” Kara watched as he lunged for his backpack and started furiously scribbling at his homework.

Martha shook her head, “That boy…” She finished her cup of coffee and stood up from the table. “Well, since you’re here, you might as well help me start on the food for tonight so we can light the Menorah and exchange the first present of Hanukkah.”

“There’s a Jewish baker in Metropolis that my roommate and I usually go to when we want something specific, a few blocks from campus, but his sufganyot was nowhere near as good as yours.”

“Flattery will not get you extra, you will have to make your own.” Martha motioned Kara over to the mixing bowl. “Get to it, with your abilities, I expect you to be able to mix up a lot of the dough needed to feed both you and Clark.”

The two women mixed up what was needed for the potato cakes and jelly-donuts before starting on the rest of the food for dinner. By the time the sun had set, all of the food was done and Jonathan had come in from out in the barn, and cleaned up for dinner. They lit the first candle on the Menorah, and sang a few carols before digging into dinner, the latkes and sufganyot disappearing quickly.

“So are you going to visit your mom for the holidays this year?” Martha asked. “What did you say last year, something for the winter solstice?”

“Yes, they usually have a festival around the winter solstice, though I have been back in the past couple years, too much work to do this time of year.” Kara watched as Jonathan and Clark played with the dreidels, a light smile on her face. “Though I might go home this year, I have time when Hanukkah is over to head back to Metropolis to get some work done, make sure Cat isn’t dead and has eaten, and then fly to Themyscira.”

“What is your roommate mixed up in these days anyway?”

Kara rolled her eyes at the question, thinking of all the scrapes she has had to get Cat out of recently because the woman was like a dog with a bone. “Nothing good, I can tell you that.”

 

* * *

 

“Alright Grant,” Cat muttered to herself as she glanced around the room. “You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out. You are Cat-freaking-Grant, you don’t need your roommate to swoop in and save you all the time.”

Kara had left Metropolis to head to Kansas for Hanukkah sometime early last Sunday morning and wasn’t expect back for another day, so Cat decided to use this time to do some more investigating. It made it easier to break into questionable places when she didn’t have a protective alien with more scrupulous morals monitoring her throughout the city, but there was a downside that Cat didn’t foresee, she didn’t have any backup. “Stupid, stupid, stupid Grant,” Cat grumbled to herself as she darted into a coat closet. “Third unofficial rule of journalism, when you’re doing snooping, always double check your mark’s schedule.”

She wedged herself behind a few boxes in the closet and held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear footsteps in the hallway outside of the closet and she barely managed to resist letting out a shriek when the door opened. Her heart was near hammering out of her chest and she clasped her hand over her mouth to hold in her erratic breathing. “Where is that coat?” She heard Harton Woolsen muttered to himself as he rifled through the jackets hanging on the rod in the closet. The coats barely missed brushing the top of Cat’s head, and her heart just pounded louder in her ears, she wondered how he couldn’t hear it.

The doorbell ringing was Cat’s saving grace, she just barely managed to stop herself when Woolsen halted his actions and glanced down the hall towards the door. “I don’t have time for this,” he grumbled, grabbing one of the coats at random before shutting the closet door again.

Cat strained her ears to hear anything beyond the door and the rapid beating of her own heart, but all she heard was the sound of receding footsteps. She sagged down against the wall and the floor, and attempted to get control of her breathing and her heart rate. She didn’t think she would have to worry about her cardio workout later, her heart had been through enough strain already for the day.

A shriek escaped her throat when the closet door was wrenched open and the boxes blocking her from view were pulled away. _This is it,_ Cat thought, _I’m going to die, or get arrested my career is ove-_ Only to be met by the sight of Kara standing in the doorway of the closet, irritation present in her eyes.

“Are you out of your mind?” Kara hissed, helping Cat out of the space she had wedged herself into. “I mean, really, what were you thinking breaking into Woolsen’s house?”

“I was thinking that I needed to find a lead and this was the best way to do it,” Cat countered. “It was either this or his office and I think he keeps his office pretty clean.”

“He was just here Cat, he would have found you if I hadn’t distracted him by ringing the doorbell and he needed to leave anyway.” Kara scrubbed at her face in frustration at Cat’s actions. “What were you thinking?”

“What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were still in Kansas?”

“I came back a couple of days early, I wanted to get an extra day of work in so I can take some time off to visit my mom for the solstice.” Cat just hummed and turned away from Kara, heading back further into the house. “Where are you going?” Kara hissed, “He could be back any minute now.”

“No he won’t,” Cat replied. “I double checked his schedule, he golfs every Sunday and then has dinner with his wife at his club, he only came back early because he forgot his sport coat, and they wouldn’t let him in the club without it.” She glanced down at the watch on her wrist, “We still have two hours to do some snooping, so if you don’t want me coming back here on my own, then you need to help me.” Kara hesitated and Cat sighed, turning to face her roommate. “Look, Kara, we both know that Woolsen is involved with some bad people, bad things, very bad things. Would you rather have whoever he’s working for have a toady in the city council, and let him continue running for governor unchecked?”

The older blonde thought about her words before nodding, “Oh alright, you have a point, what are you looking for exactly?”

“Anything suspicious, hopefully a nice file that says ‘bad guy information stored here.’ That would be useful.” The burgeoning reporter hummed, “I guess anything suspicious would be a good place to star- hey!”

A rush of movement around her disturbed her from her sentence and Cat found herself in the center of a swirling vortex. Papers and objects flew around her, Cat almost wondered if this was what it was like to be in the center of a tornado, an _indoor_ tornado. The wind stopped blowing and Kara stood in front of her with a stack of papers in her hand and a disgusted look on her face. “These are the only things I could find,” she commented, handing the stack over. “We can’t take them with us, so you’ll have to look at them here. If we don’t want Woolsen to know anyone was here, we have to leave everything just as we found it.”

“Then what about the… hmm,” Cat looked around. “You didn’t leave a mess with that tornado thing you did? Interesting, I’ll have to think about this more Larelle, you might be useful in the future.”

“I’m not helping you break into any more houses Grant,” Kara rolled her eyes. “You want to get yourself arrested, that is your business.”

“So you’d save me if I was in danger but wouldn’t if I was about to be arrested?” Cat clarified, “Good to know that your morals are just a bit bendable.”

“Just hurry up, relying on Woolsen to keep his schedule is making me a bit uncomfortable.”

Cat grumbled a bit before she started flipping through the pages, noting the dates for votes, payouts, and the amount paid located in an small ledger. She already knew some of that, but it was good to have her hunches validated. Pouring through the different pages, Cat continued to hunt for the source of the payments, noting the obvious shell companies, non-profits, and other organizations that clearly didn’t exist and a few that she would have to look up. On a scrap piece of paper tucked in a folder, she finally found her answer. “Moxie Mannheim,” she muttered, her eyes widening at the name. “It can’t be…”

“Who’s Moxie Mannheim?”

“Put these back, we need to get out of here,” Cat ordered, shoving the papers into Kara’s arms. “How did you get in here?”

“Upper hallway window,” Kara replied. “The one facing the back of the house, it was unlocked.”

Cat started upstairs before the whirling vortex could start, and just as she reached the hallway landing, she felt arms circle around her and she was suddenly outside. “I am adding flying and speed to your list of abilities,” she grumbled. “I’ll figure you out eventually.”

“I’m sure.” Kara landed a few blocks away, staying out of sight, and the two walked back to their apartment. “So who’s Moxie Mannheim and why does he have you so freaked out?”

The shorter blonde hummed and tugged her jacket tighter around her. “I grew up in this city Larelle, I grew up listening as my father discussed some of the major figures of the city, social, political, criminal… Moxie ‘Boss’ Mannheim fits into that final category.”

“Who is he?”

Cat snorted, “Besides being very well connected in almost every aspect and level of the city, Boss Mannheim is a thug, a gangster, and if the rumors are true, the leader of one of the most dangerous organizations Metropolis has ever dealt with, the Intergang.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So with this chapter I've kind of introduced the first villain arc for Kara as she figures out this hero thing and that it's not as easy as she thought it would be with all of her training. It's difficult and I don't have a clear picture of how it ends for her, this particular arc, I do know she's going to be changed from it, she's going to grow.  
> Also I like how versatile the Intergang are, I mean you get rid of one leader and more pop up, so they're a good place to start for a villain.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so first off, let's address those rumors floating around that DC is basically gonna wipe the slate clean with most of their CW shows. What the ever freaking hell you guys? Like seriously, what the hell did we do to them that got their panties in a bunch? I can see Arrow being cancelled, 7-8 seasons is pretty respectable. But that better mean that you give 7-8 seasons to the other ones as well. Let's break this down: Arrow is setting up the storyline for Legends of Tomorrow with the future that Zari is from, we know this, or at least we're aware. Gotta set that up somehow. Flash is also setting up future stuff with this completely boring plot line with Nora West-Allen, like I know that Flash is all about THE Flash, but really, did we need 1400 speedsters in one show? Supergirl is on a completely different Earth, so she's not really involved in this, and the writing through seasons 2 and 3 sucked at best, but season 4 is throwing in some fun stuff amid all of the terrible plot with the alien-hating nazi people. And they wonder why ratings are down with some of these shows? Arrow, I just want Oliver to go back to the "you have failed this city" time and actually kill some people, that would be more fun than what he's got going on now. But Legends, oh Legends, what did they ever do to fuel up the cancellation bug other than being mostly LGBTQIA+ friendly? Legends is a delight to watch, they have fun characters, and an awesome plot, and they deserve at least 6 seasons in order for them to get full syndication. So there.
> 
> On the other hand, I get why the want to cancel Supergirl, because they are seriously doubling down on a Supergirl movie and they don't want to confuse people by having the same character on two platforms. And I would love a Supergirl movie, love love love one, so long as it got the Wonder Woman treatment, female director that knows what she's doing, WW84 was written by a woman, so yes, women heroes being produced by women, fantastic. Also plus Superman is boring, time for Supergirl to shine. 
> 
> But on that subject! They want to replace Supergirl with a Superman show staring Clark and Lois? I like Tyler as Superman, he was... Well, he's no Christopher Reeve, the perfect Superman, and Tom Welling was excellent in the Smallville era, but Tyler is okay. Do I want another show with Superman? No! Lois and Clark, Smallville, Adventures of Superman, we've done this, Superman has had his day, it would be like doing another Batman movie. Oh wait, they're totally doing that too, it's like they don't have any other person in the Gotham fighting crime that would be interesting for a movie. Hmm...
> 
> Do these shows frustrate the hell out of me? Yes, because I know that they can be better, I know that the writers, directors, actors can do better than what they've been giving us because they have done better. 
> 
> Also, I really want to see Kara team up with Kate again and watching Kate mercilessly flirt with her, ooh, maybe in front of Alex, and watch Alex's face turn purple. Or Sara and Kate try to out flirt each other, yes, all of the above. 
> 
> With Crisis on Infinite Earths coming, we will be losing a few heroes, characters we love and have grown attached to. Kara Zor-El died in this storyline once upon a time, while she die in this one? I doubt it. I'm thinking Oliver dies, maybe a side character, one of the Legends probably. But as we are all aware, characters never stay dead in fandom, they live on in fix-it fics and the hearts of authors who care about them. I just have a lot of feelings right now because I want DC to get its act together and to quit sucking.
> 
> Okay, that is done, now to the story. I am working with a general timeline, I am trying to see how many chapters until the grand reunion but these characters just demand to have their say sometimes, and that usually means heartfelt moments that will pull at your heartstrings. There are some coming up that are, whew, yikes, tissues, y'all better get some tissues. Also I put a thing at the beginning of the chapter so you know what year(s) it is for this chapter. That was mainly for me because I was getting confused.

* * *

 *1991/92*

“This Intergang,” Pythia started after Kara had finished telling her everything that had happened since the last time she had talked with the older woman. “Who are they exactly?”

Kara sighed and ran her hand through her long blonde hair as she looked out over the cliff to the clear blue waters surrounding Themyscira. It had been several weeks since she really thought about the information her roommate had dug up by breaking into Dean Woolsen’s house, by her _helping_ her roommate snoop through his things. Once Cat knew where to look, she tossed herself back into research before she started drafting out her story. Her plan was to get it into the school’s newspaper in January’s edition, and was hopeful that her advisor in the journalism department would recommend the article’s reprint in the Daily Planet. She just had to make sure that she had all of her sources and facts triple checked, and that everything was in order.

The Kryptonian was a little wary about leaving Cat in her writing frenzy, but she had already decided to head home for the solstice festival. She left food packed in the fridge to make sure that the younger woman didn’t starve, and sticky notes to remind her to eat. “I’m not as familiar with the ins and outs of Metropolis as Cat is,” Kara admitted. “Yes I’ve been helping people when I could, but I actively try not to listen to everything that happens in the city.”

“So your abilities have improved then,” Pythia mused. “I wondered if they would, if they would grow stronger the more you used them, just like muscles. We have trained your heat vision, cold wind, strength, and speed, but your hearing, the island is far too quiet to really train that.”

“It has been difficult,” Kara admitted. “Everything was so loud when I first moved to Metropolis, very different from Themyscira and even Smallville. I didn’t think I would be able to stay there it was so loud, I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t think but…” Her voice trailed off as she thought about what to say. “But I think I have a handle on it now, or that I’m getting there.”

“We shall have to test them while you are here, I know that Raina will probably want to test and make sure your fighting skills are still up to par, and Calliope will want to test your knowledge.”

“I should have come back before now,” Kara said. “I should have come back this summer during break, or last year, or the year before… When I went away to school like Martha and Jonathan suggested, to learn more about the world and find my place in it, I guess I took that too seriously.”

Pythia gave her daughter a small smile and reached out to take her hand. “Kara, you may have left here to carve out a future for yourself, a place for yourself, that doesn’t mean that you completely left us behind. This is still your home and will always be your home, you don’t have to come back every time you’re on a break.” She released Kara’s hand and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, “You only have to come back when you feel that you need your mother’s love.” She pressed a kiss to Kara’s temple, “At least we have had that device thing that your little robot servant developed.”

“Kex isn’t… nevermind,” Kara rolled her eyes. Her mother wouldn’t change her stance that she believed Kex to be her robot servant, she would probably lose her mind if Kara had access to some of the robots they originally had on Krypton, or even the fake robots that human science fiction have created over the years. Kex had access to the entirety of Kryptonian technology in his mainframe, if he wanted, he could craft a physical form for himself or for the other currently dormant AI units that had also come in the pod.

“Back to the main subject, who is this Intergang? Are they dangerous?”

“Cat has… told me things, nothing concrete, just vague mutterings around writing her article. The Intergang, they’re basically a large criminal enterprise from what she’s said, but I have no idea what they do. We know they’ve been involved in smuggling, but what they were smuggling, I don’t know.”

Pythia hummed, “Men crave two things, money and power, and usually money leads to more power. The hearts of men are easily corrupted by such things, as are all who live in Man’s World.” She shifted so that she was sitting next to the younger woman and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I worry for you, out there in that world, what kind of people you’ll be around, what kind of person you’ll become.”

“There are good people in the world too Mom, people like John and Martha who just want to work and raise a family, people like Cat that want to change the world, and people like Eliza and Jeremiah that want to help the world.”

“You have surrounded yourself with good people, and you have being protecting people these past few years, but the question is will you continue what you are doing, stopping simple crimes, or will you do more?”

Kara twisted slightly to look at her mother, “What do you mean?”

“This Intergang, if what you tell me is true, they have gone through the trouble of inserting people that they buy, people they bribe, into positions of power so that they can do whatever they want. They are dangerous Kara, they have obviously proven that they are willing to hurt people to get what they want, but my question is will you do something about it?”

The younger woman sighed and turned back away from her mother. “What do you expect me to do?” She asked, running a hand through her hair. “I’m not… I only started helping people because I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to do something. And then I just… kept doing it, scaring away predators, stopping muggings, that’s it. I’m just a shadow to the people of Metropolis, a rumor, nothing more.”

“Kara, I’m not trying to pressure you one way or another, but what I’m trying to do is make you realize that there is evil in the world, there is greed, hatred, ignorance. You have chosen to fight it a little bit, but when greater evil finds you, will you choose to face it?” Pythia pushed herself off the ground and patted Kara on the shoulder. “You’ll figure out what to do, I’ll be back at the house when you want to come in.” She left Kara to her thoughts on the bluffs and walked back to the city.

Sighing softly, Kara ran her hand through her hair and watched the waves crash against the rocks at the base of the cliff. She knew what her mother was saying was true, from everything Cat had told her, this Intergang was bad news. They had been bribing a city official, probably more, and they had come after Cat when her snooping got too close to the truth about Woolsen. If they thought that a student journalist was dangerous to their plans that they would bother to abduct her, attempt to kill her, then what else could they be capable of, could she sit back and do nothing knowing what she knew about them? It has been three years since she became the shadow of Metropolis, the faceless figure with glowing eyes that stood up for people lost in dark alleyways, those hurting and afraid. The question she knew that her mother was asking her, it had been haunting her for a while too, was it enough, was what she was doing enough?

Unbidden, Diana’s image floated through her mind, and Kara sighed, flopping back down on the ground beneath her. It was hard to not think about Diana, about where she was, what she was doing, what she would think of her now. Diana had left Themyscira, had left _her,_ to go out and be a hero, to protect the world, to save the world, what would she think of her indecisiveness, on not knowing if she wanted to fully commit to being that person, to being a hero. Kara really hated that she still thought about Diana after all of these years, thought about what the woman would say to her, what she would think about her, what she would-

“Get up sleepyhead!” Raina crowed in Kara’s ear, causing the blonde to squawk and reel away from the woman, falling off the cliff in the process.

She caught herself before she could fall too far off the cliff and slowly rose back through the air to find her friend on the ground where she had been laying, clutching her stomach and laughing. “You’re the worst Raina,” Kara grumbled, setting her feet back down on top of the bluff.

“You should have seen your face!” The redhead weazed, still laughing uproariously.

“Go ahead, get it out of your system.” The blonde rolled her eyes as her friend continued to laugh. “What are you doing out here anyway?”

“Coming to see you,” Raina replied, wiping at her eyes. “I mean, you stop in for a visit, and spend all this time with your mom or on that island of yours, without spending any time with your friends? You think I’m just going to take that lying down?”

“I was going to come and see you before I left,” Kara protested. “I’ll be here for another few days at least.”

“Well then that gives us a few days to catch up on what you have been up to,” Raina said, pushing herself off the ground. “And we have time to spar to see if you’re still up to date on your fighting technique, you got out of it last time you visited, what if you’ve gotten rusty?”

“You want to spar? Since when?”

“Since I don’t get to see my best friend all that much anymore.” The redhead tugged the blonde back towards the city. “Not to mention that I have been incredibly bored, though playing with that robot servant of yours has been fun.”

“Don’t tell me that Mom has you calling Kex that as well.”

“What? It works.”

Kara sighed and rolled her eyes. “I have missed you though, you, Trigona, and Oeone, just because I’ve left the island and I’m making a life for myself out in the World of Men doesn’t mean I don’t miss you guys all the time.”

“We know,” Raina replied. “This island was always too small for you. As someone who has lived among the stars, being confined here forever was never your destiny.”

“What is my destiny then?” Kara asked. “I survived my entire planet’s destruction, all of my people, my entire family, my friends. I fell here, grew up here, made a new family here, only to leave it and start over somewhere else, what am I doing with my life, what was I saved for?”

Raina was silent for a few moments before speaking, “That’s really deep for a conversation right now Kar’, but best that I can tell you is that you’re living. That’s what your parents wanted for you and that’s what you’re doing. You’ve gone out in the world, making new friends, finding work, doing something productive, anything you choose to do after that is up to you.”

“I don’t know, you don’t think I should be doing… more? I mean, I’m studying architecture, but-”

“No buts, I mean, you like studying architecture don’t you? I mean your mom told me you did, but do you enjoy it?”

“Yes! Of course, I had to take extra classes to graduate within four years, I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t like it.”

“Well there you go, your parents wanted you to be happy.” Raina slung her arm around Kara’s shoulder, “And while I miss you being here all the time, that’s what I want for you as well, and I know Pythia feels the same.”

“Mhm, speaking of Mom, she won’t really give me a clear answer, are her and Hippolyta…”

“Involved yet?” Her friend answered. “I think so, how much have you heard?”

“Mom told me they’ve been talking, but as far as I know, they’ve been talking for years, have you observed anything happening between them?”

“They’re two of the oldest Amazons, they’re really good at hiding things from the rest of us, but I do think there’s something going on, if they’re not fucking yet, then they will be soon.”

Kara crinkled her nose, “You are so gross sometimes Raina.”

“If you didn’t want to know, then you shouldn’t have asked.”

“I deeply regret it already, I’ll just ask Pythia later when I get home.”

“You mean when Raina and I let you get home,” Trigona commented as she walked up to the two when they came into town. “You haven’t been back in a while Kara, and we have some fighting and partying to do.”

“I have a feeling I’m going to regret coming back for the winter festival.”

Hours later, closer to the sun rising on the next day, Kara finally managed to make it back home. Different muscles and joints in her body ached and screamed at her when she climbed up the stairs back to her old room, collapsing in an exhausted heap on her bed. Her aching limbs cried out in protest at the abuse and she let out a groan as she sunk down into the soft padding beneath her. She heard the soft footsteps padding up to her room before the person sat down on the bed next to her. “Seems like you’ve had a long day,” Pythia murmured, softly carding her fingers through long blonde hair.

“Did I wake you up?” Kara asked, her voice slightly muffled by her pillow. She was far too tired and sore to attempt to turn her head to speak clearly.

“No I’ve been awake, wondering where my wayward daughter had gotten off to.”

“You can blame Raina and Trigona for that,” the blonde said, rolling over slightly. “They decided that I was pretty rusty in my sparring and drinking, so they put me through the ringer.” She set her head back down on her pillow and sighed, “I guess I’m rustier than I thought I was.”

“For Amazonian fighting probably,” Pythia murmured, rubbing her back. “Might not be a bad idea to keep yourself fresh in fighting techniques.”

“And who better to learn from than some of the best warriors in the universe,” Kara replied. She sighed as her muscles relaxed and sank further into the bed beneath her.

“I wouldn’t know about universe.”

Kara shook her head, “Hmm, I’ve been to twelve different planets, when I say universe, I mean universe.”

Pythia shook her head and motioned for her daughter to roll over. “Make room, go on, move,” she motioned, sliding down on the bed next to the younger woman.

Kara grunted in protested but complied and quickly settled down with her head on Pythia’s chest listening to her heart beat, just like she used to do when she was younger and everything was overwhelming. “So how are you and Hippolyta doing?” She asked as her mother continued to play with her hair. “Any progress forward?”

“We’re taking things slow, it’s hard to transition from friends to lovers after so many years.”

“There has always been something more between you two though, something lurking beneath the surface.”

“Like you and Diana?”

Kara was silent for a few moments as she thought about her response. “Yes like me and Diana. There was something there, but I guess we were both too cowardly to do anything about it, or we thought we had time with both of us being here.” She sighed and her voice trailed off, “I guess we were both wrong…” The both laid there in silence for a minutes before Kara spoke again. “Do you think I’ll ever see her again, Diana?”

Pythia hummed, “I think two people meant to be in each other’s lives will find a way, and you and Diana, you were meant to be. You traveled through time and space to be together, here, in this time and on this world, you will find your way to each other again.”

“I thought, out in the human world, I would hear tales of her, of what she’s done, but nothing, there’s no trace of her.” Kara exhaled softly, “Not that I’ve really been looking, what does that say about me? Seven years and I haven’t bothered to even try to find her.”

“You’re not ready,” the silver haired woman replied. “When both of you are ready to see each other again, you will.”

 

* * *

 

“Kiera!” Cat cried when she spotted her blonde roommate in the doorway to her room. “You will not believe the kind of things I have dug up, I almost couldn’t believe it, but this conspiracy runs pretty deep. I suspect that Intergang has people throughout both Metropolis and Gotham in positions of authority in every department, waiting to fulfil their master’s dark purpose. Whatever they’re attempting to do, I have no idea, obviously illegal things, but I’m not sure exactly what kind of illegal things, do we have anymore coffee?”

“Did you call me Kiera?” Kara asked, her brow quirked. “Have you slept at all since I’ve been gone?”

“What day is it?” The woman replied, her eyes wide and twitching.

“Thursday… January 2nd, 1992, I left about two weeks ago before Christmas…”

Cat waved her hand dismissively, “I’m sure I’ve slept some, but sleep is for slackers Kiera, especially when I am on the brink of the story of a lifetime!”

“Okay, I think you’ve had enough coffee for now, so why don’t you just step away from the computer and get some sleep.” Kara pulled the three pairs of glasses off of Cat’s face and bundled the unhinged woman into bed.

“There is no time to sleep Kiera!”

“There is always time to sleep Cat, especially for humans.” She carefully tucked the wiggling woman into bed, pulling the sheets tight around her shoulders in an attempt to make sure she stayed there.

“You don’t sleep much.”

“Yes and we’ve already had a discussion that I am not human.” Kara sat down on the bed next to Cat in case the woman tried to make a break for it back to her computer. Dark hazel green eyes glared up at her petulantly and the older blonde sighed as she tried to figure out a way to get her friend to sleep before she killed herself. Before she realized it, she was humming an old Amazonian lullabye, one that her mother had sung to her when the nights were too dark and quiet.

“Sounds nice…” Cat slurred as sleep overtook her brain and she drifted off. Kara sang for a few more minutes to ensure that the other woman was completely asleep, but she didn’t think that an earthquake could wake Cat at this point.

Slowly moving away from the bed, Kara glanced through the notes that Cat had left all over her desk and the article that was pulled up on the computer. The article was mostly complete, detailing information, dates, and evidence of Dean Woolsen swinging votes certain ways to benefit businesses and shipments coming in from the port. Cat never stated in the article that Woolsen was being paid off by the Intergang because she didn’t have any concrete evidence that wasn’t tainted by her snooping around in his house. The organization was too careful to leave behind paperwork or evidence that would implicate them, but other people apparently weren’t as clever.

“She’s going to make a damn fine investigative journalist one day,” Kara mused, focusing her attention on the small pile of notes she uncovered on the desk. Her roommate had been busy while she was away, she had started looking for every scrap of information she could find on the Intergang, every whisper, every rumor, every lead. There was a small post-it note on the stack of paper reading ‘no one kidnaps Cat Grant and gets away with it.’

“I take it back,” Kara rolled her eyes. “She’s going to get her fool-self killed one of these days.” She set the notes aside and quietly retreated out of the room, and moved to check on the state of the rest of the apartment. Whenever the shorter blonde was focused on researching and writing, everything else got placed on the back burner.

The bathroom was clean though a little dusty, and Kara made note to shove Cat in the shower, clothes and all, when the woman finally woke up. Walking to the kitchen, she found the fridge completely empty except for a few old take-out containers that were growing some sort of science project. “I’m going to kill her one of these day,” the blonde grumbled, pulling the cleaning supplies out of the closet.

An hour later, Kara finally heaved out all of the garbage Cat had managed to collect while she was working on her article after cleaning out the entire apartment. “How can someone so small make such a mess?” She sighed, collapsing on the couch. She had flown back from Themyscira earlier that day and she could already feel exhaustion starting to settle in her bones and a growl echoing in her stomach. Another groan escaped her lips when she remembered that the only edible food in the apartment was a can of green beans she located in the cupboard. “I feel like I need to eat ten pizzas.” Her arm flopped behind her searching for the collection of take-out menus that they kept on the table next to the couch, but the phone ringing on the other side of the room halted her quest. She debated momentarily on if she wanted to remove herself from her comfy position on the couch, but the incessant ringing of the phone finally prompted her to move.

Lazily, Kara floated from the couch towards the phone and grabbed it from the receiver, the cord hanging beneath her. “Hello?” She greeted, turning slightly so she was looking at the ceiling while she floated.

_“Hey Kara, I was hoping you’d be back,”_ Eliza’s voice drifted through the phone. _“I wasn’t sure when you would get back from your visit home, I tried to call a few days ago, but no one answered.”_

“Yeah I got back a couple of hours ago. Cat was here, but she wasn’t like here, here.”

_“Working on an article?”_ After three years of being friends with Kara, Eliza knew exactly what the burgeoning reporter was like, especially after dealing with people in therapy sessions that crossed Cat on a bad day.

Kara hummed at the question, “I just got done cleaning the apartment after making sure Cat got some sleep. I’ll be tossing her in the shower later, I’m not sure when was the last time she bathed, but I’m not taking any chances. There’s no food in the apartment though so I’ll either starve or order some pizza.”

_“Why don’t you come over? Alex wants to show her ‘Aunty Awa’ what she got for Christmas, and Jeremiah is working on his dissertation and preparing his classes for next semester.”_

“That is the best offer I’ve heard all day.”

_“If that’s the best offer you’ve heard all day, you really need to get out more.”_

The blonde sighed and shook her head as she replied to her friend, “We’ve talked about this Eliza, I’m not interested in being set up with any of your friends.”

_“There’s this really cute fireman that lives down the road from us, single, really nice, I think you both would do well together.”_

“Eliza…”

_“Or do you prefer women? Jeremiah and I don’t mind either way though I know it isn’t commonly discussed now, but there is evidence of same-sex relationships in nature so it isn’t really a big deal-”_

“Eliza!” Kara called again, getting her friend’s attention. “I… thank you, but I’m just not… ready for any kind of relationship right now.”

The other woman was quiet for a few minutes before speaking again, _“That sounds like there’s a story there.”_ Kara hummed noncommitedly, not really wanting to get into it. _“Fine, fine, keep your secrets, just get over here and deal with your goddaughter.”_

“I’ll be over in a few.” Kara set the phone back down on the receiver and moved her feet to finally touch the ground. Glancing back through the walls to Cat’s room, she made sure that the burgeoning reporter was still asleep, but she didn’t need to, the snores alone were enough of a clue that the woman was still dead to the world.

Grabbing her wallet and keys, Kara left the apartment and started the few blocks over to the Danvers’ house. It was a route she had traveled frequently and usually it was quickly traversed, but she was still feeling sluggish from flying back to Metropolis and cleaning her apartment. By the time she finally slumped her way up to the house, the pizza delivery guy was pulling up with two large pizzas strapped to the front of his bike. She fished cash out of her wallet and took the food from the kid before walking in the house. “I have the food,” Kara called out, barely avoiding the forceful impact of a tiny terror hitting her legs.

“Aunty Awa!” Alex squealed, her tiny arms and legs latching around the blonde woman. “I mis’ed you so much!”

“I can see that, I missed you too.” Kara carefully handed the pizza over to Eliza who quickly claimed the food, and bent down to pluck the child off of her leg. “I missed you so much nugget.”

“Did you b’ing me an’thin’?” Alex asked, looking around Kara like she was looking for a present and Kara just chuckled.

“Maybe when you’re older.”

The little girl pouted and wiggled a bit to be put down so she could go get her new toys to show her favorite aunty. “She has so much energy,” Kara groaned, falling onto the couch next to Eliza.

“The energizer bunny finally quit hmm?”

Kara just glared at her friend, but quickly shifted to a gleeful expression when Alex brought over her new toys, a few Ninja turtle action figures, some Transformers, and a cabbage patch doll. “I’m guessing the doll was your contribution?” Kara asked, looking over at the young mother when Alex was occupied on the floor with her action figures

“I also gave her one of those robot things she wanted,” Eliza defended, sinking a little into the cushions of the couch. “I just… ever since I found out that I was having a girl, I dreamed of cute dresses, tea parties, playing dolls. As Alex gets older, she’s less interested in dresses and more interested in mud and play fighting.”

“That’s not a bad thing Eliza,” Kara told her. “She’s becoming her own person, growing. She’ll be a strong woman one day because of this, you letting her be who she is, letting her become who she wants to be on her own terms.”

Eliza snorted, “She wants to be a Ninja Turtle when she grows up.”

“And I’m sure she’ll be the best Ninja Turtle that has ever been, and next week she’ll probably want to be a Transformer.”

“Mhm, last week she wanted to be a mud-puddle.” The two women looked at each other and then let out a few snickers. “Oh just ignore my musings,” Eliza said when they calmed down. “Just the normal worries of a mother that wants the best for her daughter.”

“She has two loving parents and the best godmother she could ask for, being loved for who she is, that’s all anyone really needs.”

“Sometimes you seem far wiser than your years,” Eliza mused. “Which isn’t fair since I’m supposed to be the wise elder.”

Kara let out a little laugh, “What is it that they say, experience is better than age?”

“Aunty Awa!” Alex yelled. “Come play with me!”

Letting out an long sigh, she glanced over at Eliza, “Duty calls.”

Eliza gestured with her hand and continued to munch on her pizza, “Go, entertain my child.”

The blonde student sniffed and turned up her nose at the woman. “Come on Alex,” she said, grabbing the little girl’s hand. “Let’s go be Ninja Turtles, your mom is not invited.”

“Not invited!” Alex squealed and the two of them flounced off.

Rolling her eyes, Eliza swallowed the bite of pizza in her mouth, “You two are just jealous, I would be the best Ninja Turtle!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As an end note, I do want to say thanks to the people who pointed out someone was hijacking my stories and putting them on Wattpad. I'm not posting over there, Wattpad is... well, I don't like it. So if you see my stuff over there, it's not me. But since that author is claiming that she (I'm guessing they're a she) is writing the stories so if I'm not updating fast enough for you, you can go bug them and maybe she'll give you something. At the very least, you might get a funny conversation, which is what I got. I'm not as mad about the stories as I am about hijacking my author notes, like those are my actual words and feelings, Get. Your. Own. Stealing stories is pretty sucky to do, but also kind of childish. I'm not gonna say writing stories isn't hard like some authors do (I've seen some pretty snippy notes in the past), writing is hard, coming up with plots is hard, dealing with characters is hard. If you don't have the words, you don't have them, find another way to express yourself. Write a note and scream about things, do some art, write comments on people's work thanking them for the time they take out of their lives to give something to the fandoms they love. Fan fiction is about stepping into a world that was developed and making your own mark on it, leaving a piece of yourself behind. To steal someone else's work completely invalidates the whole point of the process, giving something of yourself.
> 
> Can you guys tell I've been grading a lot of papers recently? I've been grading a lot of papers.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has anyone gone to see Captain Marvel yet??? I need other people to talk to about it because it was amazing! I give it a 9/10, or at the lowest a 8.75/10. Such a good movie. Some of my friends were comparing it to Wonder Woman and I'm like there is no comparison, they're both excellent movies about overcoming obstacles and learning what it means to be a hero. Plus women should support each other instead of tearing each other down and Gal Gadot gave a shout out to Brie Larson for the success of Captain Marvel and that is more important than figuring out which one was a better movie. 
> 
> Still occasionally on Tumblr if you want to send me a message to discuss the movie, @ArtistiaFox, but like I am even more stoked for Avengers End Game now like !!!!! And Shazam! is coming out beginning of April, and it looks funny, so I will be going to see that one as well. DC is trying with these movies, so least we can do is support them, that way we get more WW movies, Supergirl movie, Batgirl movie etc etc. 
> 
> Also, semi-separate note, I've been distracted by a lot of family stuff recently, so I decided the next update for this story won't be until the first Friday in April, so re-read this story, read some of my other ones until then.

**Chapter 14**

 

“... I now present you Metropolis University’s graduating class of 1992.”

Kara and her fellow graduates tossed their motarboards in the air and a great cheer went up from all of the attendants in the large gymnasium. The sound was almost deafening for the blonde, but she blocked it out to enjoy the moment. When the Kents had convinced her to apply to go to college four years ago, she wasn’t sure what the point would be, why she needed to go to school, but now in this moment, standing on the basketball court with about a thousand other graduates, she finally understood. It was more than just attending classes and learning, it was about forming connections, making memories and friends that would last longer than anything she learned in classes. 

“I don’t know what everyone is so excited about,” Cat grumbled and Kara turned to find her best friend standing a few paces behind her, her hat still firmly fixed on her head and a scowl on her face. “It’s not like all that much is going to change, just transitioning from going to classes to going to low paying jobs no better than glorified interns.”

“Cat, don’t be such a sour-puss, we graduated, celebrate a little.” The shorter blonde just grumbled some more and crossed her arms, a scowl still firmly affixed on her face. Kara shook her head and guided her friend to where she could hear the Kents and the Danvers waiting. Martha, Jonathan, and Clark had driven up the day before for her graduation, and Jeremiah and Eliza kindly offered to house the family in their extra bedroom for the adults while Clark would sleep in a sleeping bag in Alex’s room. Clark was hesitant about spending so much time with a  _ ‘girl’  _ but Alex merely sniffed and declared she didn’t want him to play with her Transformers anyway. That quickly got his attention and soon the two were squirreled away in Alex’s room, acting out a daring rescue of the cabbage patch princess with mutant turtles and robot cars. 

Skillfully winding her way through the crowd, Kara managed to locate her little group of family and friends. “I’m so proud of you!” Martha said, embracing the tall blonde. “Graduating with honors! And you didn’t think that college would be a good idea.”

“No need to rub it in Martha,” Kara rolled her eyes before moving over to Jonathan. “I’m glad you guys were here.”

“We got plenty of pictures you can send to your Mom, and Martha made me record the whole thing.” Jonathan held up the small camcorder in his hand and gave her a thumbs up.

“We’re proud of you too Cat and took plenty of pictures for you as well.” Martha shifted her attention over to the shorter blonde and wrapped her in a hug, causing Cat to let out a low ‘oof.’

Kara snickered at her roommate as Cat’s eyes widened and an alarmed expression crossed her face. Even after four years of living together, the other blonde still hadn’t gotten used to the Kents and the amount of ‘mothering’ Martha liked to bestow on everyone. Martha knew enough about Cat to know that she didn’t have the best relationship with her mother, and while she was only fifteen years older than the blonde, she wanted to give the younger woman as much motherly affection as possible. “Yes, ah, thank you.” Cat patted Martha’s back awkwardly and practically willed the woman to release her. 

“Did your mother end up coming?” Martha asked when she finally pulled away from the blonde.

Cat just shrugged and glanced around disinterestedly. “I don’t know, probably not, last time I talked to her she was sipping wine with some author in Barcelona and that was a few days ago. She would have mentioned something if she was planning on being here, I wonder if she even remembered it was this weekend.” 

“Well you’re coming with us to dinner to celebrate your and Kara’s graduation, and that’s final,” the woman declared, wrapping an arm around Cat’s shoulder again to give her another squeeze. The force of nature then turned to the Danvers and fixed them with a glare. “You three are coming as well, Jonathan and I are buying, it’s only right since you put us up for a few nights.”

“Really Martha, that’s not necessary-” Jeremiah’s voice was cut off when Martha’s eyes narrowed even further and the man gulped. “Ah, uh, we would love to come with you.”

“Just try not to make it a really expensive place Martha… Martha…” Jonathan called after his wife who started leading the young blonde away. The woman ignored him and continued asking Cat questions about the story she published about former Dean Woolsen and his illegal dealings and how it lead to her upcoming job at the Daily Planet. She had published the article in the university’s newspaper in the january edition and exploded like a grenade. Woolsen immediately denied everything, but the evidence against him was too strong and eventually he caved. He was immediately fired from his position at the University, and was kicked off the city council. Currently the police were investigating the bribes that he received and charges against him were pending. 

Because of the attention her article received, Cat was offered a job at the Daily as a junior investigative reporter. It wasn’t what she hoped for, but it was better than what her first journalism professor had predicted for her. While she was sure that writing a gossip column would be interesting for a while, Cat had greater ambitions for her career, most of them involving Pulitzers and a multi-billion dollar company.

Kara felt a tug on her gown and she glanced down to see Alex staring impatiently up at her from the floor. “Up,” the little girl demanded, holding her hands up. “Aunty Awa,” Alex started when Kara had picked her up. “What does gwaduaded mean?”

“Graduated, it means that I finished this particular level of schooling.”

“So you don’t have to go to school anymore?”

“Not unless I want to, but then I would go through a different level of school, like your mom and dad.”

Alex let out an aggravated sigh, “Daddy goes to school all the time, it’s so boring, but since you gwaduaded now, that means that you can play with me while he and Mommy are being boring.”

“I would love nothing more than to spend more time with you, but I’m going to start my new job in a few weeks, and then you’re going to be going to Pre-school in the fall, so you will have less time for me.”

“Ugh, no skool…” The girl groaned, tucking her face into Kara’s neck.

“Don’t worry Alex,” Clark said from his place next to his cousin. “School is actually pretty fun, you can make new friends, learn new things, get out of chores for a few hours of the day.”

Peeking out from her place glued into Kara’s neck, Alex looked suspiciously down at Clark. “Weally?”

“Yeah, I can tell you all about it and the stuff that Pete, my best friend, and I get up to.” The boy scrunched his nose and Eliza and Jeremiah stifled a grin at how similar he looked to Kara when he did that. “Our other friend is around as well, but she doesn’t like to do as many fun things as Pete and I do.”

“You mean that Chloe doesn’t like to cause as much trouble as you and Pete do,” Kara corrected, setting Alex down next to Clark so that they could talk.

They all started walking, following the direction Jonathan, Martha, and Cat had disappeared, Eliza, Jeremiah and Kara trailing behind the two kids. “I take it you two haven’t talked to Alex about the possibility of moving yet when you finish your coursework and Jeremiah defends his dissertation,” Kara commented quietly to her two friends while Alex battered Clark with questions about school. 

“We thought it best not to disrupt her with something so far off,” Jeremiah replied. “I did find out that I’ll be able to defend my dissertation early August of next year, so we’ll be moving in time for Alex to start kindergarten in Midvale.”

“We don’t want to disrupt her schooling, if we didn’t have to send her to Pre-School, we wouldn’t, but it would be for the best and it would be easier for me to attend classes while she’s in school,” Eliza told her. “And with you starting work, well we can’t really depend on you to watch her in emergencies any more.”

“Hey, I love Alex, I love watching her, so don’t even think of depriving me of my Alex fix,” Kara told them. “Weekends or when I have a day off, you just call me and I will be there.” She glanced over at where Clark and Alex had finally caught up with the other three members of their group were waiting. “Martha and Jonathan are talking about Clark coming to spend a few weeks with me here this summer, there’s a day camp at Met U he’s been wanting to come to since I told him about it a few years ago.”

Jeremiah nodded, “The Space Camp? My advisor asked if I would talk to the kids one day during camp and I agreed. It’s a great program, they learn a lot and have a lot of fun, I was hoping to send Alex to that camp when she’s old enough.”

“Well if Aunty Awa is still living in Metropolis in a few years, we might be able to send Alex to spend some time with her for her to go to camp,” Eliza commented before catching up with Cat and the Kents. 

The group eventually decided to go out to the small diner that Kara discovered her first few months in Metropolis when she was aimlessly wandering around at night. It was a small 24 hour diner only a few blocks from the university but tucked away that most people would miss it unless they were looking for it. The diner and the small coffee shop that she found became havens for Kara when the sounds of the city became too much for her. It had gotten easier for her to sleep after the first year and after she had become the ‘mysterious’ vigilante that appeared and disappeared like a shadow, but there were still some nights that she missed the quiet of Paradise Island when the still rustling city kept her awake.

The food was good, enough so that Cat never complained when Kara dragged her there when she wanted company for a late night snack. The shorter blonde had even located several people who were fountains of information on everything that happened in Metropolis from the highest of politicians to the lowest of criminals. Never underestimate a waitress and a fry cook that have been around since virtually the beginning of Metropolis.

Everyone ate plenty of food, Kara and Clark steadily out eating everyone else at the table, and they stayed at the diner talking for hours. Alex and Clark managed to convince Cat to let them sleepover at her and Kara’s apartment, leaving the other four adults alone at the Danvers’ house. Cat headed out later that night with some of her other friends from the journalism department, while Kara stayed in to watch the kids. She had made a few friends in her classes, but she didn’t feel that she would keep in touch with any of them.

Alex finally fell asleep shortly after 8pm, her stomach full of cheese pizza, and Kara carefully tucked the little girl into her tiny sleeping bag before joining Clark on the couch. “I can’t believe I was ever that small,” the boy frowned, staring at Alex thoughtfully.

Kara stifled down a laugh, “Oh you were, Martha took plenty of pictures and I have pictures of when you were even smaller than her.”

“But she seems so tiny, so fragile.”

“Don’t let Alex hear you say that, she’s pretty fearless, hasn’t turned back from a challenge yet.”

Clark sat for another few moments and just stared at the girl before turning back to his cousin. “Kara…”

“Hm?”

“How do you deal with it?” He asked. “The noise of the city, how do you… deal with living here?”

“Did you have trouble sleeping last night?”

The boy just hummed, “A little, though my hearing isn’t as good as yours yet. Smallville is so quiet at night compared to Metropolis, how have you been able to stand it?”

Kara thought for a moment before motioning to the door with her head. “Follow me, stay quiet though, don’t want Alex to wake up but I will be able to hear her if she does.” Clark followed her down the stairs and out into the alley next to the apartment building. “Have you been able to fly yet?” He shook his head and Kara motioned for him to stand on her feet. “Alright, hold on.” She slowly lifted up and took them to the roof of the apartment building. “Come on,” Kara said, motioning him over to the edge where she sat down, folding her arms on top of the railing. “I’ve come up here a lot since Cat and I moved in, the railing is pretty solid.”

“The view is pretty nice,” Clark commented, sitting down next to the blonde. Their legs swung gently along the side of the building, idly knocking into the bricks. 

“It is a pretty good view, can see out further into the city from here. You should see the view from the tallest building in the city, it’s amazing.” They sat in silence for a few minutes before Kara spoke again. “I didn’t handle the noise of the city well when I first moved here,” she murmured. “I was used to the stillness of Themyscira or the quiet murmur of Smallville, imagine moving here to a city that is just on the go all the time.”

“It’s already so loud for me, I can’t imagine what it’s like for you, what it was like when you first got here.”

“I didn’t sleep for a long time, not much anyway,” she admitted. “I got an hour or two maybe once a week when I managed to block the sounds out but it was hard to block everything out. There were so many people crying out for help in the city, still are, it was hard to listen, to hear them hurting.”

“What did you do?”

“I started helping people, doing enough to help them out, lessen the pain in the city,” Kara replied. 

“So you think I should do that, start helping people?”

“What you should start doing is learning how to meditate and learn to block it out for now.”

“Awe, Kara, I want to help people,” Clark whined. “Why can’t I do what you do?”

“Kal-el,” the blonde reprimanded, instantly silencing the boy. “You have to think, it’s difficult for people like us, people who are different. Humans don’t even like each other, when confronted with a being so completely removed from what they thought was possible, it scares them. I’m not even fully ready to accept the consequences if I reveal myself, what I can do, because of how it might affect the people I care about, how it might hurt them. It’s not something to be considered lightly Kal-el.”

Clark pouted and sniffed lightly, looking away from his cousin, “I just want to be able to help people.”

“And you might, one day when you’re older, when you understand what it means,” she told him. “But in the meantime, you need to learn to meditate and take control of your senses. It is difficult, but I am sure that you will be able to work it out, you might even eventually be able to master the art of Torquasm-Vo.”

“I read about that!” He exclaimed, “The thingy in my pod told me about it, it’s like a martial arts practice isn’t it? I can be like the Karate Kid or Leonardo.” Clark stood up, stepped away from the edge, and started performing bad martial arts moves that he had seen in movies and tv shows. 

“I’m going to pretend that I didn’t see any of that.” Kara rolled her eyes, “And no, Torquasm-Vo isn’t like the martial arts you would have seen on TV, it’s more of a mental discipline. Some members of the Vo family even used it as a way to interact with people on the mental plane, test their abilities and such. Every match through the matricomp with one of the members of the house of Vo had to pass their mental test or the match would be terminated.”

“So marriages really were arranged, I thought that the computer thing was messing with me.” Clark scrunched his face as he thought about it before puffing out his chest. “So what kind of guy would you have been paired with, did he deserve you?”

“You know on Krypton, they didn’t discriminate according to someone’s gender.”

Clark’s eyes widened, “You mean you might have been matched with a  _ girl _ ? Girls are gross though.” He thought for a moment, face twisting, “I guess boys wouldn’t be much better though.”

Kara smiled, “Maybe one day you will change your mind.”

His nose crinkled again and Kara just barely resisted laughing at his expression. He settled back down on the edge of the building next to her and they continued to look out over the city. “Hey Kara?”

“Hmm?”

“What were my parents like?”

A light puff of air left her nose as she exhaled, not fully expecting that question, not yet anyway. “Your parents,” she murmured. “Jor-el and Ala Ark-Vars, Jor-el was my father’s younger brother. He and Ala were matched when they were 13 as tradition, but they actually broke tradition with you, the first natural born child on Krypton in over a thousand years. Father always told me that Jor-el was a bit of a rebel…” She continued talking for close to half an hour, telling stories about her aunt and uncle until she felt him nod off against her. “One day things will be different Kal,” Kara murmured, pressing a kiss to his head. “I’ll continue to fight at night so that one day you’ll be able to fly in the sunlight.”

 

* * *

 

Kara could hear the banging of dishes and pans in her kitchen from nearly a mile away despite the chaotic sounds of the city. The sound filled her with dread and her steps faltered. She debated if she could seek sanctuary at Jeremiah and Eliza’s house rather than facing her irate roommate, but remembered that the little family had gone on a small vacation to Maine before school started in a few weeks. 

Ever since Alex and Clark watched Pinocchio one night when he was in Metropolis to go to Space Camp, the girl had been begging to go see real whales ‘for science’ as she claimed. The elder Danvers eventually caved and took a week’s vacation to the coast of Maine for some of the best whale watching on the east coast. They had asked if she wanted to accompany them, but since she had just started working at Harvey and Smith in June, Kara didn’t feel comfortable asking for a vacation after only a month and a half.

The blonde hesitated another moment before a sigh left her mouth, and she finished the trudge back to the apartment. As soon as she walked into the building, Kara could smell burnt cookies and hear Cat muttering to herself, still banging around with the pots and pans. When she finally walked through the front door, she was met with the sight of piles of dirty dishes and her roommate whisking furiously, bits of flour and dough on her face. There were sheets of burnt cookies spread around the small kitchen and on the small table in their makeshift dining room. “Are we baking our feelings again?” Kara asked, setting her bag down next to the door and kicking off her shoes.

“I made dinner,” Cat grumbled out. The hand holding the whisk lifted from the bowl and gestured angrily at the oven, flinging bits of liquidy dough on the kitchen floor. “I also made dessert,” she said, returning to her whisking.

“I can see that,” the taller blonde replied. “Didn’t we decide that I was going to be doing the baking from now on? And most of the cooking?”

“Do you not want to eat the food that I’ve cooked?” The question was almost like a threat and Kara knew from the hard glint in the other woman’s eye that she would find a way to destroy her.

“No, ah, um, everything looks good,” Kara giggled nervously. She pulled the food out of the oven and hid a grimace at the shriveled chicken and vegetables in the pan. “This all looks really good…” She divided the food onto plates, and pulled some seasoning out of the cabinet in hopes to make the angry looking food more palatable. “When in doubt, put some Ranch on it,” Kara grumbled to herself, taking the bottle out of the fridge. 

Cat continued to ignore her roommate and dolloped out large spoonfuls of dough onto a free baking sheet before slamming it into the oven. The older woman winced and wondered if this would finally be the time when she would learn what food poisoning was like. Sighing quietly, Kara dug through the dry food as quickly as possible, groaning slightly as the food dropped in her stomach like a lead brick. “I’m going to need to go get some ice cream later to make myself feel better,” she grumbled. “Cat,” Kara tried again. “You want to tell me why you’re trying to poison us with burnt cookies and dry chicken?”

The shorter woman turned another fierce glare at her roommate, but Kara held her ground and returned the glare with an even stare. “Fine,” Cat muttered, setting her bowl in the sink. She grabbed one of the pans of cookies and angrily bit into one of them. She chewed it for a minute before spitting it out, “These are awful.”

“Yes, I know.” Kara pushed the pan on the table away from them, “Probably should find some hockey team that needs practice pucks.”

“You’re hilarious, really, if this architect thing doesn’t work out for you, you should try stand-up,” Cat countered, rolling her eyes.

“And you’re deflecting, now spill.”

“There’s this… other reporter at the Daily Planet,” the younger woman started, teeth clenched. “She’s so infuriating, nosey, bossy, always attempting to out scoop someone else-”

“Doesn’t this sound familiar,” Kara mumbled, but she was silenced by another glare from the other blonde.

“And she just keeps getting all up in my business!” Cat finished, launching a cookie at the wall.

Kara watched in fascination as the baked-good simply bounced off the wall without crumbling and rolled away on the floor. “So,” she said, not wanting one of the cookies to be thrown at her. “What is this other reporter’s name?”

“Angela Chen,” Cat bit out. “She just transferred to the Daily Planet from the Gotham Gazette, so she’s only been there about as long as I have, but she is so frustrating!”

“What’s she doing that’s getting on your nerves so much?”

Cat huffed and grumbled, “Existing.”

“Cat…”

“Fine, she keeps… buzzing around, waiting for someone to drop a lead for a story so she can swoop in and steal it, it’s bad form.”

“Didn’t you sort of do the same thing a couple of years ago though a U Met’s paper with that plagarism ring? Another guy was investigating it but you got the drop on him.”

“Well, that was different.”

“Uh huh.”

“Alright Kiera, if you don’t believe me about how annoying she is, how about this, she’s starting to sniff around your occasional late night activities.”

“What? Why? It’s been four years, why start looking at me now?”

The younger woman shrugged, “I have no idea, I think Chen has a lead or something. Perry White, the chief editor, wouldn’t touch the subject of the ‘mysterious vigilante’ without some kind of proof that he actually existed, but Chen is sniffing around, asking questions, tracking down people you might have saved.”

“What do you think she has?”

“Truthfully? Nothing. She’s probably heard rumors and murmurs like most people and she’s intrigued, wanting to make a name for herself and figured reporting on Metropolis’s own vigilante would be the way to do it.”

A sliver of fear raced through her at the thought of someone as determined as Cat chasing after her, and Kara vowed to be more careful about future exploits if she was going to keep helping people. She didn’t want to be forced out of the shadows, she didn’t want to be branded without any say in the matter. A thought crossed her mind and she glanced over at her roommate in confusion. “Hey Cat,” she started. “You’ve known about me for a while now, and you’ve been working at the Daily Planet for like two and a half months at this point, why didn’t you ever ask me about doing a story about me as the ‘vigilante’?”

“Low-hanging fruit Kara,” Cat replied. “That’s no way to make my career. I mean, yeah, maybe if I was already successful I would think about it, but I definitely wouldn’t do it without your permission. You’re my best friend, one thing to learn about being a good reporter, or just a good person, is to never toss your friends under the bus, not like this anyway. The next time my mother is in town though, you’re going to lunch with her, not me.”

“The demon lady? I don’t think so Grant.”

“Compromise, we’ll both go, and I’ll drink mimosas and you can traumatize Katherine with how much you eat.”

“I don’t think that’s a compromise…”

“Anyway, I’m not going to write about you without your permission and definitely not at this point in my career, not when I’m starting to make headway on my research into the Intergang.”

“I thought your boss canned your story idea?” Kara asked. “I mean, you showed him the tentative links you uncovered for that article, but he said it was no story for a junior reporter and passed on the information to one of the senior reporters.” When the other woman didn’t respond Kara looked at her sharply, “Cat, you did hand over the evidence you found didn’t you?”

“I did,” she replied. “Some of it.”

“Cat!”

“What? Look, I worked hard to get that evidence-”

“You broke into Woolsen’s house, you got kidnapped by the Intergang-”

“All while I was in college,” Cat waved dismissively. “I scared someone so much and I wasn’t even out of school yet, imagine what I can do now?”

“Get yourself killed instead of just kidnapped, and then I’ll have to make rent by myself.”

“Be serious Larelle.”

“I am being serious Grant,” Kara retorted. “But apparently you aren’t. The Intergang, they’re dangerous. I did some research myself Cat and the group… they’re a ghost, they don’t have much of an overt presence in Metropolis but I found some files of old stories from the Gotham Gazette. Drugs, smuggling, assassinations, staged suicides, overdoses, corruption, Cat they’re dangerous, they have already killed people for sniffing too close to them, reporters, cops, federal agents. None of it could be proven. but not like anyone needs proof for this.”

Cat stopped short at Kara’s tone and actually looked at the older woman. They hadn’t really talked much about her best friend’s history, just the brief overview, Cat really didn’t need to know more. Kara was the same Kara she had always been, it didn’t matter if she was born on a different planet and happened to be several thousand years old. There was a look in her eyes though, a look that spoke of regrets, of shadows that lingered in the mind, of things haunting from the past. “You worried about me Kara?” She asked, her voice quiet.

Kara scoffed, “Of course I’m worried Cat, you’re my best friend and you’re just… insane, someone has to worry about you.”

“Can’t you just, I don’t know, keep an ear out for me or something to make yourself feel better?”

“I always keep an ear out for you now since that stunt you pulled getting kidnapped, but I can’t be there all the time. The Daily Planet office is across the city from where I work, not to mention all of the stupid, insane places you’re running off to in order to track down a lead. Even if I  _ hear _ trouble, doesn’t mean I can be there in time.”

“Well what do you expect me to do? Not hunt down leads? Not be a journalist? Not do what I’ve dreamed about doing for years?”

The older blonde let out a humorless laugh, “No, no that would be a futile endeavor on my part, nobody can tell you what you can and can’t do. I just… I want you to be smart… I want you to stop being so fucking stupid, because I know that you’re smarter than this. You’re already on their radar Cat, they already know that you’re onto that, but the thing that’s saving your life right now is that they don’t know exactly how much you know or what you have. If you’re going to go after them, if you’re going to attempt to take down one of the biggest criminal enterprises in Metropolis, then you need to be smart about it.” Kara waved her hand around a bit, “Do what you always told me was the way of a good reporter, make connections, start small, find the right people to have as informants, sources. You claim that Angela Chen is a hack reporter because she goes for the sensational while stealing stories from other people, then be better than her, work smarter.”

“Fine,” Cat sighed, slumping back into her seat. “I guess you have a point. I’ll table my story on the Intergang for now, but I’m not giving up, I’m totally gonna nab the guy behind the current, you just watch.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“Low blow bringing up that crime to journalistic integrity.”

“It worked though didn’t it?”

“Speaking of the viper, we’re going to need to work on your…” Cat gestured at Kara, motioning up and down with her hand. “All of your you-ness, you can’t keep skulking around in the shadows helping people in a hoodie.”

“Yes I can.”

“You can’t do it in  _ just  _ a hoodie.”

“I’m not going to dress up like someone from a comic book, that’s stupid.” Kara stood up from the table, “I’m going to get some takeout, I’ll be back in a bit.”

“We’re not finished with this conversation!” Cat yelled but the older blonde just waved and walked out of the apartment. The shorter woman grumbled about ‘stupid aliens’ for a while before sinking down to stew over the problem. “Well if she gets to worry about me, then I get to worry about her,” she said, pushing back from the table. She hurried back to her room and started flipping through her shopping catalogues. “She watches out for me, so I’m going to watch out for her,” Cat muttered. “Whether she likes it or not.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm skipping chunks of time in this story, I know this. I'm trying to get to the point where Diana and Kara meet again, but timeline wise, it is a while. I want to get there though because I have such fun ideas, but I don't want to rush the story so... Think of it this way, right now we are let's call it Point A. Where Diana and Kara meet again is Point D. I have to get to points B and C before getting to D, and B and C are important for plot and character development so I can't skip them. The reunion is worth it though, very badass and explosive. Everything leading up to it should be fun though, cute moments, fluffy moments, and soul-wrenching ones, fun ride everyone!
> 
> Also, anyone who has watched Superman the Animated Series should recognize Angela Chen, she is that series' version of Cat Grant. I've introduced her here to be Cat's rival instead of Lois Lane at the Daily Planet. Lois won't be there for a few years, and Cat needs someone to motivate her now.


	15. Chapter15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Premier night Avengers End Game tickets purchased, ready to resolve the story line that has been building for 10 years and see how the next phase is going to go. With Captain Marvel at the helm of course. I was glad to see all of the Carol Danvers + Kara Danvers art running around, and some new stories. I literally cannot get my brain to comprehend mixing Marvel and DC comic characters unless it's completely no powers AU or I'm jumping universes, like in the premise for a Supergirl/Black Widow story I'm working on. I cannot comprehend DC superheroes and Marvel superheroes existing in the same universe, it's just like... Mind=Blown. 
> 
> On another note about movies, saw Shazam! Definitely an enjoyable movie. It wouldn't be charitable to say that Captain Marvel was better because they were really, really different. I enjoyed Captain Marvel more because she's my favorite superhero, but I did like Shazam! because it was really, really funny. I think it had a similar problem that Aquaman did though in that it felt like it was five or ten minutes too long in certain areas. I'm hoping there will be some Supergirl and Shazam team up stories coming, definitely not romantic, but like Shazam and Superman are friends in the comics so like it would work.
> 
> Now, back to Supergirl, I've sort of caught up on the recent episodes, sort of in that I didn't listen to all of it, and I skipped through boring parts. The plot they're running is both interesting and predictable at the same time, but I feel they're going to spice it up soon. We have what, 5 more episodes for this season? 6? Enough time to cause some problems and we'll have to see if they resolve some of these loose threads. I really do think though that they should send Linda to Earth 1 to Earth 1 Alex since Earth 1 Alex is missing a Kara, and Linda-Kara is missing an Alex. Easy fix. Also for another reason, some of my friends that work in production in Hollywood are hearing more rumors about a Supergirl movie, which means that Supergirl show will most likely be axed, but here we have a fix! They can rebrand it as Powergirl and follow Linda-Kara and Alex on Earth 1. As much as this show irritates me for the sloppy plot lines and the complete disregard for previously established information, it is important to have a female titled superhero show on television. Not just a team show led by a woman, but a title character show. It's so very important. Yes Batwoman is coming, but I want to see more team ups between the two of them dammit! Might help me decide if I want to write another story between those two ;)

* * *

 

It was amazing to Kara how fast time seemed to pass, and she wondered how it was for humans, for beings with such a short life span. She wondered how fast time passed for them, if they marveled at how one night you go to sleep in August and you wake up to find Thanksgiving rapidly approaching. When she was living on Themyscira, Kara never really paid attention to the passage of time. Everyday was a repeat of the same or similar things, and the only evidence at first of time continuing to pass was that she was getting older. Both she and Diana grew, aged, until they didn’t, and then time became an abstract concept, just something that caused the sun to rise and set every day.

She had thought that her time in Smallville and at Met U would prepare her for the passage of time, for how time affected humans. She watched as Clark grew, little by little every day. She watched as signs of age started to show on Martha and Jonathan’s faces, new laugh lines around Martha’s mouth, a swatch of gray hair at Jonathan’s temples, she thought she had fully prepared herself for how time behaved. She was wrong. She wasn’t prepared for one day dropping off Alex for her first day of pre-K and the next to be watching the final prep for the Thanksgiving day parade, three months had passed without her even noticing.

Kara sat in the shadows on top of one of the buildings around the parade route. The annual parade sponsored by the Kacy’s department store and the Wayne Foundation quickly became one of her favorite Thanksgiving traditions, other than eating large quantities of food. They had a similar festival on Themyscira, but nothing like it on Krypton, not with the scarce lack of resources there was by the time she was born. She watched as workers double checked tether lines for the balloons and finalized the last preparations for the floats. The next day hundreds of marching band members, dancers, and Kacy’s employees will walk the route to the Kacy’s flagship department store and thousands of people would line the streets to watch the parade. None of them had the view that she did though as workers got everything ready for the parade; she imagined that the company believed that if people saw the parade being put together it would ruin the image and magic, but watching the set up just made her appreciate it more.

She watched the workers moving around for a while longer before stepping away from her spot on a nearby building. Tucking her hair back into her jacket, she pulled her hood tight over her head and jumped down from the roof to the dark alley below. Her breath fogged in the air in front of her and she breathed in the crisp, cool air, a tinge of snow tickling the roof of her mouth. It was still far off, far away enough that it might not even reach Metropolis, changing course to hit Gotham or head north away from both cities. The cold air never bothered her the way it did humans but she still felt it, still felt it closing around her, still felt it settling into her bones.

On nights when she could _feel_ winter approaching, Kara preferred to be in her bed in her pajamas curled up with a good book, staving off the chilling winter cold. She wouldn’t be out at all if it wasn’t for Cat chasing a hair-brand story about smuggling in Chinatown. The shorter blonde had an informant that had given her a scoop about a ring trafficking in puffer fish, oysters and other more exotic fish. She had linked the smuggling with a highly reputed restaurant in Metropolis, but needed to ferret out the entire chain to find out who was dealing in the smuggled fish.

Cat’s “informant” was actually the chef at Kara’s favorite restaurant, a small little place in the back of an antiques shop tucked away in the middle of Chinatown. It had the best dumplings in the city, and because of the placement of his shop, Jian heard about everything that happened in the district from the smallest fist fight in a back alley, to the movements of a secret smuggling operation. Chinatown at night wasn’t the safest part of the city, especially with the various gangs and organizations still battling for control. When Kara learned that Cat was going to that part of the city at night, this night, the night before Thanksgiving to get the last piece of information she needed from Jian to finish her article on the smuggling ring, she wasn’t thrilled. For one, it meant that Cat was snooping down in Chinatown at night by herself, and two, it meant that she would have to go out and keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t get herself killed. She really didn’t want to have to break in a new best friend.

Sticking to the back alleys and shadows, Kara quickly made her way to Chinatown and easily located her wayward roommate. It was almost laughable how easy it was to find her, she would have spotted her even without her abilities. The younger woman was wearing a long beige trench coat that hung down passed her knees. A multi colored scarf was wrapped around her hair and tied under her chin, and a large pair of sunglasses covered half of her face despite the rapid darkness descending over the city. Her hands clutched tightly at the large tote bag that was slung over her shoulder, and Kara momentarily wondered if there was a store for ‘completely conspicuous things to wear when you're trying to look inconspicuous.’

Rather than continuing to follow her, this running the possibility of attracting more attention, Kara ducked down another alley way, unzipped her hoodie, and reappeared in front of the other woman. “Are you trying to get yourself noticed?” Kara asked., her eyebrow cocked inquisitively.

“Um, excuze me mis, I zink zat you have me confuzed wiz zomeone else,” Cat replied, shifting her bodyweight. Her eyes darted around nervously behind her glasses and Kara rolled her eyes.

“That was terrible, what even was that, French? Eastern European?”

Cat growled and lowered the large glasses on her face to glare at her friend. “Must you be so insufferable,” she hissed, her eyes flashing with anger. “I had this under control.”

“I’m sure.” The taller blonde glanced down at Cat’s outfit, “And I’m sure you completely blend in with this interesting choice of clothing.”

“Just go away,” Cat retorted. She brushed past Kara and continued down the sidewalk and Kara filed in behind her, heading in the same direction. Cat turned her head and shot her another glare but it didn’t deter the older woman. “Do you mind?”

Kara shrugged, “I’m just going to my favorite dumpling place, you can do whatever you want.”

“I hate you, I hope you know that.”

“You’re still going to pay for my dumplings.”

The two continued walking though Cat was no longer doing the weird shuffling walk she had been trying to pull off earlier. A few more blocks and they reached the antique store, a small shop stuffed in between a grocery store and a knock-off designer handbag shop. “Well this looks promising,” Cat snarked, glancing distastefully at the obviously fake red and gold Chinese lion sitting outside of the shop.

“Stop being so judgy Cat.” Kara rolled her eyes and entered the shop, waving at the older woman that ran the antique shop.

“If this place didn’t look like a knick-knacks store threw up in it, then I wouldn’t be so judgy,” the shorter blonde hissed.

“I would be careful with what you say Grant, Nuan is Jian’s mother and she’s a master of Kung-fu, best not to irritate her.”

Cat glanced incredulously at the older woman puttering away behind the counter before stepping closer to her friend. “You’re joking.”

“Chinatown is an interesting place, just last week Mrs. Choi flattened out a couple of teenagers that were causing trouble outside her shop.” A worried look crossed her face, “I just hope that she hasn’t attracted the attention of some of the families here. It wouldn’t be safe for her to get on their bad side.”

“The families?”

“Kind of like the Mafia, several different families control areas of Chinatown, who comes in and out. Place like this shop that are in the center of the district are like No Man’s land, but they’ll still fight over them and attempt to assert control through the normal tactics, bullying, blackmail, extortion.”

“You know an awful lot about Chinatown for someone who doesn’t come here for her side hustle,” Cat commented, her brow arched.

Kara shrugged, “I told you, Jian knows everything.” She was quiet for a few minutes before looking over at her roommate, “It’s not that I don’t want to come here and help people, but I feel that if I did I might make it worse on the people that live here.”

Before Cat could reply to what the taller blonde said, they walked into the backroom and she was instantly bombarded with the most incredible scent she had ever encountered. “Oh my god,” Cat muttered, inhaling the aroma. “That smells so good.”

“I know right? That’s Jian, best chef in Chinatown.”

A middle-aged man about the same height as Kara walked out of the backroom and instantly spotting them, a large smile crossing his face as he did. “Kara, you back again.” If Cat was surprised by the strong New York accent in his voice, she didn’t show it. He walked over to greet the blonde with a hug, picking her up slightly off the ground in his exuberance. “And you brought a friend, come sit, I will make you whatever you like.” Jian waved them over to a table and handed Cat a menu sheet. “Do you eat as much as your friend here?” He asked, gesturing over at Kara. “I’ve never seen someone pack away as many dumplings as she does, very healthy appetite.”

“I don’t think an elephant eats as much as she does,” Cat replied. “And I’ll take the dumplings since Kara has told me so much about them.” She pointed out the specific ones she wanted and Jian disappeared back into the kitchen. “He seems nice,” she commented, and Kara nodded.

“His whole family is nice, and his daughter is adorable. His wife is a teacher so that let’s her stay at home in the evenings, but sometimes she has meetings so their daughter comes here instead.”

“Is the daughter as nice as her father?”

“Grace? She’s… she’s complex. She’s a few years younger than Clark but it seems like she has a lot that she thinks about, a lot that she worries over.” Kara hummed, “She’s very sweet though, crazy smart. She talks to me about geometry a lot when I’m here doodling out some designs for buildings.”

“Of course you would find another nerd,” Cat rolled her eyes. “It’s like you attract nerds.”

“What does that say about you then?”

“Leave the jokes to actual comedians Larelle.”

Jian walked out of the kitchen area with trays full of baskets with steaming dumplings, and easily set them down on the table next to where Cat and Kara were seated. “One order for you, and seven for my friend here,” he said, piling the food in front of the women. “And it is on the house Kara, for bringing such a lovely friend but also for helping Grace out with her Spanish homework last time you were here.”

“I was happy to help and it wasn’t a big deal,” Kara waved her hand. “Besides if you keep giving me stuff that’s on the house, you might go out of business.”

“It’s true,” Cat said. She used the pair of chopsticks to pick up a dumpling and groaned as the flavor exploded in her mouth. “Oh my god, this are the best dumplings I’ve ever had.”

“See? I told you,” the taller blonde replied, popping a dumpling into her mouth. “So good.”

“I am glad I have another converter,” Jian laughed.

“As much as Kara as told me about your dumplings, she has also told me on your unique ability to gain information about dealings in Chinatown,” Cat continued, the reporter instincts in her too strong to be undone by delicious food.

The man hummed and rubbed his balding head before pulling a chair over from another table. “So you’re the reporter friend that Kara mentioned,” he murmured, keeping his voice low. “What would you like to know about what goes on in Chinatown? What would a large newspaper like the Daily Planet want with what goes on down here?”

“I go where the story takes me, and the story has taken me here.” The reporter leaned forward towards the man, “What do you know about smuggled fish?”

The two talked while Kara partially ignored them as she ate her food. She was mildly intrigued by the conversation, if only to know who would be dealing in smuggled goods, but she didn’t particularly care about illegal tuna and puffer fish. The topic of smuggling reminded her too much of Woolsen, which led her to thinking about the Intergang again. Since she got Cat to let go of her direct approach to taking them on, she hasn’t really encountered them again, not that she aware of anyway. She did wonder if the drug dealers she saw on the streets, the ones that littered musty corners and dark alleys, if they worked for the Intergang or one of the other factions that battled for control over the city. It’s not like she could question them on their employers, not that she would anyway, she merely observed them from a distance. Part of it felt wrong to her, picking and choosing which crimes she prevent, who she saved, most of the people drug dealers catered to were victims themselves, or ended up hurting others while lost in the high. Didn’t they deserve her protection as well?

“Kara!”

“Huh, what?” The blonde snapped to attention and looked at her friend across from her who was giving her an amused look.

“Were you lost in your fantasies about the dumplings you pretty much ate on autopilot?” Cat asked, her brow arched.

“Something like that,” Kara replied. “Where’s Jian?”

Cat waved her hand back towards the kitchen, “He got a takeout order or something, I got all the information I needed.”

“Oh yeah, did you crack the case on the smuggled fish?”

“Apparently the owner of that fancy restaurant has a cousin that works at the fish market here in Chinatown, and he has connections to bring in the fish under market value and without all the regulations.”

Kara hummed, “I imagine you're going to be checking out this information then hmm?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t be a good journalist if I didn’t double check the information provided to me.” Cat scoffed, “I’d be like that hack Angela Chen, just hoping for the best when I finally did publish my story.”

“Well we can’t have that can we?”

The two stood up to leave, and Cat deposited a few bills on the table before heading back out into the antique shop. She glanced warily at the woman bustling around the store, scooching closer to Kara in the process, and they walked out into the still bustling streets of Chinatown. It surprised Cat how many people were still out the night before a major holiday, but she reasoned they either were out getting last minute supplies for Thanksgiving or they didn’t celebrate the day. She was also surprised that her roommate elected to stay in Metropolis for Thanksgiving, her favorite holiday, when she suspected that the older woman could get to either of her other homes without any difficulty. “You never did tell me why you’re staying for Thanksgiving this year,” Cat mentioned as they started the walk back to their apartment. It was a few miles, but she needed the exercise even if the bottomless pit didn’t.

“Too much work to do, I have to be back at the office on Friday.”

“You and I both know that you could get back here in an instant, so that’s not a good enough reason.”

Kara shrugged, “Fine, I just… I didn’t want you to have to have Thanksgiving alone since your mom is still being an ass.”

Cat scoffed, “I’ll be fine on my own if you want to go home.”

“No no, I already told them I was staying here with you to celebrate Thanksgiving. I can fly home and see them for a day during Hanukkah. And besides, I already promised Alex that I would take her to the parade tomorrow morning.” Kara hummed, “Jeremiah told me that they were planning to go to Midvale for Christmas, I think they’re going to tell Alex that they’ll be moving next summer so spending time with her when I can might lessen the blow just a bit.”

“Yeah that’s not going to work,” Cat told her. “That little girl loves you, she’s going to be devastated when she’s told she’s going to be moving all the way to the other side of the country.”

The older blonde sighed, “I know, but moving is the best for them, letting Alex grow up in a place that isn’t as noisy and crowded as Metropolis, it’ll be good for her and both Jeremiah and Eliza have job offers out there.”

“Have you told them?” She asked, “About you being, you know, not from around here?”

“It’s not exactly something that I can work into conversation,” Kara replied. “And I don’t really see the need to tell people. It’s, my history, my past, it’s private, it’s sacred, it’s painful, why do I need to share it with others?”

Cat shrugged, “As far as I’m concerned you don’t. Some people might see it as a trust issue, but telling people that you’re an… immigrant, well, that is private, and people shouldn’t guilt you into sharing when you don’t want to. But I do think that you will have to tell them at some point.”

“Probably,” she sighed. “They are scientists, so knowing my luck, they probably figured me out already.”

“I don’t know, sometimes scientists miss what’s right in front of their faces, a side effect of being eggheads.” The two walked in silence back to their apartment, both lost in thought. Cat didn’t speak again until the door shut behind them, “You aren’t the first hero, vigilante, by the way, you’re not the first to show up, or the first to struggle with the concept of how much can you do, how much should you do.”

“What do you mean?”

Cat walked back to her room and emerged a few minutes later with a file. “I did some digging,” she said, sitting down on the couch. “I wanted to know if you were the only one… like you or see if I could find any evidence of the person that you never talk about.”

“Cat…”

The other woman waved her hand, “No no, I was curious so I used the vague dates you told me about but I didn’t find anything.”

Kara didn’t know whether to be disappointed or not. She never went looking for Diana, didn’t scour the globe straining her hearing for the heartbeat she had memorized long ago, didn’t rip apart countries looking for the woman. She thought about her, never stopped, the other woman always occupied a place in her thoughts but she… she _couldn’t_ go looking for her, she was afraid of what she would find. Now, knowing that there was nothing to find, well, Kara didn’t know how to feel about that. “What…” She licked her lips, her mouth felt like sandpaper all of the sudden. “What else did you find?”

“A bunch of redacted files,” Cat replied, flipping to a few pages in the file. “Because of the freedom of information act, these files were released to the public, quietly though. I had to go digging through a ton of microfiche files in order to find these things, and the dust, ugh, so much dust, I didn’t realize libraries held so much dust in them.” She shuddered a bit before pulling out a few of the papers, “I couldn’t make out much of what these said because of all of the redacted information, but it sounds like there was a group of superheroes operating out of New York during World War II, they called themselves the Justice Society of America.”

“The Justice Society of America,” Kara repeated. “That’s a bit of a mouthful, is there anything else about them in there?”

“Just their names,” the reporter answered. “Not their real names though, just the names they went by, says here that the founding member was Hourman, but there were five other members at the time, Commander Steel, Dr. Mid-Nite, Vixen, Star Girl and Obsidian.”

“What is with all of these weird comic book names?” Kara rolled her eyes, “What is the point?”

“Think of them as code names I guess, something for people to call you.” She flipped through a few more pages, “See? Even through the redacted information, I could tell that their real names weren’t ever mentioned in the folder, only their hero identities. There’s other information about what they could do, like why they had the names they did, but nothing about any missions they carried out. The file on them was pretty thick though, so they were obviously very good at what they did.”

“What happened to them? I mean, if the file was that thick, why isn’t there more information or why aren’t they still around?”

“It doesn’t say, the file barely says anything at all and it was pushed so far back in the released files it was like they were attempting to bury the information.” Cat shrugged, “As far as I can tell, they disappeared. I don’t know if that means they disbanded or died or simply… simply disappeared, I don’t know if we’ll ever know.” She tapped the folder again before setting it down on the couch between them. “What we do know is that they existed, even if people have forgotten about them or if the majority of people don’t know they existed, they did exist. People like you… not exactly like you, but close enough, they’ve been around, they’ve fought, they’ve helped people. And yes they did it wearing ridiculous costumes with equally ridiculous names, but part of that is the whole idea. Heroes, we have heroes, we know heroes, police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, teachers, soldiers, people who do good, people who help others without expecting anything in return, sometimes without concern for their own safety or well-being, we know them, we’re familiar with them. _Superheroes_ though, people, beings, with extraordinary abilities and skills, they’re different. Even without realizing it, people expect different things out of them.”

“They expect weird names and ridiculous costumes?”

Cat let out an aggravated sigh, “Stop focusing on that for right now! Why are you so hung up on the costumes and the names?”

“It’s just…” Kara scrunched her nose. “It’s kind of weird okay. Clark has comic books so yeah I know about them, but I thought they were just in comic books, just works of fiction. I’m not made up, I’m a real person and I’m trying to help people with real problems.”

“And that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a codename and disguise to help protect your identity,” Cat countered. “They’re to keep you and your loved ones safe so you can keep helping people. Bad guys go after cops, agents, whoever practically all the time because they know who they are, but that’s their job. This isn’t your job Kara, this is something that you’re choosing to do, so maybe you should at least consider it.”

Kara considered it, she did, her roommate didn’t know but she had thought about it. She knew that having a disguise would help protect the people she cared about, her history, who she really was, but the thought of running around in a spandex leotard stopped her short. “I don’t have to wear a plastic costume do I?” She groaned out and Cat bit down a smug grin.

“You really think I’d do that to you?”

“No, but there was that Halloween sophomore year when you convinced me to dress up as She-Ra for that Halloween party at Alpha Kappa Pi.”

“Excuse you, that was a brilliant idea, we were getting free drinks pretty much all night.”

“That didn’t really mean anything to me, and I had drunk frat boys trying to look up that super short dress pretty much all night and they kept asking me if I wanted to see their ‘swords.’” Kara rolled her eyes, “It’s not like I could even hit them for being disgusting because I would probably have broken their faces.”

“Huh,” Cat blinked. “Well knowing now that you’re an alien with freakish metabolism makes a lot of situations in college a lot clearer, I just figured you had a really high tolerance for alcohol.”

“I mean, I might, I don’t really know.” The older blonde scrunched her nose as she thought, “I got knocked around a lot in training on Themyscira, lost my abilities a few times, got wasted at a few festivals. The drinks they have there is also stronger than anything I’ve encountered that humans make, might even be dangerous for most humans.”

“Living on an island surrounded by fierce and beautiful warrior women, completely drunk off my ass,” Cat mused. “What a way to go. Anyway, you disguise as a superhero…” She held up her hand when it looked like the other woman was going to interrupt. “Don’t argue with me, that is basically what you are. You might only be helping little old ladies keep their purses and stopping assaults from happening, but you’re still a superhero. Now, the dark hoodie look you have will work, but maybe stop wearing the same hoodie for when you’re out jogging, it’s like a dead giveaway.” She gave her friend a disapproving look but Kara just rolled her eyes and made a few rude Amazonian gestures that Raina taught her over the years.

“I don’t know what that meant but I imagine it was pretty rude.” Cat’s eyes narrowed and she motioned her hands for Kara to wait on the couch. She disappeared back to her room for a few minutes and re-emerged with a box in her hands. “Some of this was a pain to get so I hope you appreciate what I went through to make sure that your dumbass self doesn’t get caught when you’re out saving someone.” She set the box down on the ground and opened it, pulling out a brand new dark blue hooded sweatshirt. “Here,” Cat said, handing it to Kara. “Don’t ask where I got it, it’s experimental fabric, not quite bullet proof, but pretty close. I know that you don’t have to worry about that, but your clothes do.”

Kara examined the material, staring at the knotted fabric and running her fingers over the surface. It was smooth, not soft exactly, and probably wouldn’t provide a ton of warmth, but that wasn’t something she was really concerned with too much. “Cat, this is-” She was interrupted with something flying into her face and she sputtered a bit, yanking on the object. “What the-” She started, looking at it more closely. “Did you buy me a wig?”

“A very nice wig,” Cat pointed out. “Made of real hair and everything. You need something to cover all of that blonde hair you have, and a black wig makes more of a statement.”

“You’re not serious.”

“Of course I am,” the younger woman scoffed and pulled out the last item in the box, a blue mask that tied around her head to cover her eyes. “You need something more than just a blue sweatshirt to hide your identity, and a wig and a mask will do the trick.”

“I will look so stupid in all of this,” Kara groaned and Cat shot her a withering look.

“No you won’t, go put everything on and we’ll see if we need anything else.”

Kara sighed and retreated to the bathroom, grabbing a black t-shirt and shorts off her bed when she passed her room. She stripped off her clothes when the door shut and tugged on the shorts and t-shirt before hesitantly staring at the items that Cat had purchased for her. “If I don’t hurry up, she’s going to come in here and force me in these anyway,” Kara muttered to herself. She pulled the hoodie on over her head and adjusted the fabric down around her breasts and waist. It was larger than she normally wore her sweatshirts, baggier, but she figured that would work to her advantage. She eyed the wig and the mask for a moment before tying the mask around her face and using her advanced speed to weave the black wig over her own hair. She had seen these types of wigs before, ones that were woven into the hair already on the head rather than pinned, they were a lot sturdier and more realistic, and didn’t run the risk of falling off as much as other kinds of wigs.

In total it took around a minute for her to put everything on but when Kara looked in the mirror, she saw someone totally different from herself. Dark, almost black hair floated around her shoulders and down her back, and the blue mask on her face caused her eyes to pop, nearly glow in the low lighting in the bathroom. She tucked her fake hair into the sweatshirt, letting some of it hang out in the front and tugged the hood up over her head. It wasn’t that much different from what she normally looked like when she was out helping people, just darker. She wasn’t sure she knew how she felt about that yet.

“You sure I don’t look stupid?” Kara asked when she walked out to the living room.

Cat hummed and stood up from her place on the couch to examine her friend more closely. “You don’t look stupid,” she said finally when she finished her inspection. “Nothing intricate like with the JSA members, why did you decide on shorts?”

Kara shrugged, “Easier to move around in shorts, jeans can get very uncomfortable when they get wet and I don’t want to deal with leather.”

“Mid-thigh athletic shorts, not my look but I have to admit, it does work,” Cat hummed. She finished her assessment and stood in front of her friend, “I think this will work, if I didn’t know, I don’t think I’d be able to recognize you.” She taps thoughtfully at her chin, “I guess there’s just one thing missing.”

“What?”

“Well, you’re going to have to deal with whatever name Chen finally gives you.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to talk to me, can reach PM me on ffnet at Artistia, or message me on Tumblr, @ArtistiaFox. I have an ask function over there but since no one asks me questions I don't really answer? I know a lot of authors want to spoil their works, I don't like doing that, so I try to avoid spoilers, but if people want to know character motivation or something, or if they want to drop suggestions for DC characters to use in maybe this story or other stories. Or if you want to write a story, but need someone to listen to your ramblings, I can do that to, though I don't promise I won't tell you to clean it up and get your act together. 
> 
> So I think a couple of chapters ago someone asked who was going to make Kara's costume, well you have your answer. But! This is not end game for Kara, this is her first incarnation as a hero. And yes I see all of you asking for Diana, I will continue to ignore those requests because I have a plot I am working with, the timeline is rough, but I am working on it.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Dr. Katie Bouman who spearheaded the team that managed to take a picture of a black hole. We still don't know much about them but now we have a picture, something that people didn't think was possible.
> 
> Right, so story, you know how hard it is to keep track of the timeline? Very hard, I'm always like what year is it? So that's why you tend to see notations at the top of chapters when years change because if I can't keep track of what year it is, I don't expect you guys to keep track of it.

* * *

 

_1993_

 

Kara could hear her before she even arrived on the same block, and she winced at the wails coming from the house down the street. She stepped up into a light jog and reached the house a couple of minutes later. The door opened before she could even step on the stoop and a frazzled Jeremiah poked his head out. “She was fine,” he claimed, referencing the shrieking toddler in the house. “Or she was _sorta_ fine.”

“What set her off this time?” Kara asked, walking into the house behind the man.

Jeremiah seemed to deflate and sank down into the couch, his hands coming up to scrub at his face. “Alex wasn’t… pleased when we told her we were planning on moving to Midvale this summer. Well she was, she excited about the ocean, about the house, about being close to her grandparents, it was a good getaway, until…”

“Until?”

“Until we told her we were planning on living there. She was confused at first, but then she got excited about it, and started listing off different things she would do, and then which room would be hers and which would be yours.”

“My room?” Kara started to see what the problem was. “She thought I would be moving with you.”

“Alex loves you, she hasn’t really known any point of her life so far when you weren’t nearby, so I guess she assumed that you would be going with us.” Jeremiah sighed, “Her face when we told her that you would be staying in Metropolis…”

“I take it that she had a melt-down like a toddler eight hours in to a twelve hour day at Disney World,” Kara finished. “But that was what, after Christmas? That was a week ago, is she still upset?”

The man waved his hands in a desperate way. “I don’t know, she sulked for a bit after her tantrum, then calmed down when we came back to Metropolis, but some stuff just sets her off.”

“What set her off this time?”

“Eliza told her that her ‘Aunty Awa’ was coming to give her her Christmas present, and she was happy for a moment but then just started wailing.” He rubbed at his ears, “That was maybe half an hour ago? She hasn’t stopped since.”

Kara bit her lip, she felt bad that she was causing her goddaughter and her friends to be in such a state of distress. “Should I go?” She asked, motioning back to the door.

“No, that would probably make it worse,” he told her. “But maybe I should take her gift for now until she calms down.”

Kara handed over the small box and glanced up through the floor to see Eliza still trying to deal with the fussy, tantrum-throwing toddler. “I should probably go up there and see if I can help,” she said. Jeremiah just waved her on, an exhausted expression still etched on his face. She softly padded up the stairs and looked into Alex’s room. The little girl was face down on her bed, still sobbing and softly hitting the mattress with her fists, but it was evident that Alex had exhausted herself with her tantrum.

Eliza was sitting next to her on the bed, rubbing her back as she tried to calm her down. She spotted Kara standing at the door and quietly made her exit, closing the door so that they wouldn’t disturb the irritated girl. “I’m guessing Jeremiah filled you in on what has been going on,” Eliza said, her voice tired and strained.

“Yeah, I had no idea that Alex would react the way she did,” Kara replied. “Though I think Cat might have mentioned something about her possibly not taking it well, I didn’t think she would take it this badly though.”

“None of us did.” The woman gave her friend a wiry smile, “I think we all underestimated her attachment to you. You would have thought we told her the world was ending or she couldn’t play with her Ninja Turtles anymore.”

“Do you want me to talk to her?” Kara whispered. “I’m not really sure what I can do but, I don’t know, maybe I can make her feel better about the whole thing. I mean, you guys aren’t even going to move until what, beginning of August?”

Eliza nodded, “This was supposed to give her time to get used to the idea of moving, we didn’t want to spring it on when we needed to start packing up.”

“Good idea in theory, bad in execution I guess,” Kara shrugged. “I really didn’t know she was that attached to me that it would cause this reaction.”

“Kara, Alex, my delightful, precocious, absolutely adorable almost four year old loves you. You’re her ‘Aunty Awa,’ her absolute favorite person, of course she would be devastated when she found out that she wouldn’t get to see you whenever she wanted. This reaction was probably a bit much though, but really Jeremiah and I should have seen this coming and we could have prepared better.”

“Can you really prepare for your toddler having a meltdown at different times?”

The blonde mother shrugged, “Not really, but we might have done a few things differently, maybe not told her in Midvale, and instead waited until we were back here. Hindsight 20/20 and all that.”

Kara nodded, “Do you want me to…?”

“Yes please, maybe help her calm down. She’ll come around to the idea of moving eventually, probably not until we’ve settled down in Midvale, and she’s been enrolled in a Pre-K program there, maybe made some friends.”

“Alex will be fine,” Kara told her friend. “She will adjust, though you might have to cave and allow her to take those karate lessons she wants.”

Eliza gave the other blonde a wiry smile, “I was hoping for a little girl who would like dolls and tea parties.”

“She does like dolls and tea parties, the dolls are just ninja turtle and transformer action figures and the tea parties always end in fights.” Kara smirked as she looked at Eliza, “You are raising her to be able to make her own decisions and be a strong woman one day.”

“I’m an awful parent, truly,” Eliza deadpanned, a grin threatening to break on her face.

“The worst,” Kara agreed. “Go down and see if you can calm down your husband, he looked like he was about to fall apart earlier.”

“Men are so sensitive,” the other woman sighed, rolling her eyes. “His daughter starts crying, and Jeremiah is falling to pieces, thinking about buying out an entire toy store.”

“He might be working on a way to move Midvale closer to Metropolis, and since you guys are scientists, I can imagine that wouldn’t be too difficult for you to figure out.” Kryptonian scientists had figured it out centuries ago, how to relocate large objects, large masses, like cities, from one place to another. It was used to preserve cities with the dwindling resources on the planet, though it had not been done in the last century of Krypton’s existence.

“I’m more of a biologist, moving matter with possibly anti-gravitational devices is more Jeremiah’s thing. I should definitely check and make sure he is not doing that.” Eliza disappeared down the stairs and Kara could hear her bustling Jeremiah into the kitchen to start cooking dinner. She listened to them for a few minutes before turning her attention to the small figure in the room just in front of her. The heart rate alone was enough to tell her that the girl wasn’t sleeping, simply exhausted from the emotional upheaval she had been going through.

She quietly crept into the room and softly sat down on the bed next to the prone form buried in her comforter. “It’s okay Lexie,” Kara murmured when she saw the girl stiffen. “It’s just me.”

Alex let out a little sniffle and rolled over to look at the woman. “Aunty Awa?”

“Hey Lexie,” she cooed. “How are you doing?”

“They wanna make me move,” she started sobbing again. “They want to take me away!!” Alex twisted and buried her face in Kara’s thigh, her little body too tired to fully cry.

“Sshhhhh,” Kara said, easily scoping the girl up into her arms. “It’s alright Lexie, just calm down.”

“I don’t wanna move…” The girl hiccuped, sagging into Kara’s neck.

“Why not Bug?”

“I don’t… I don’t…”

“It’s okay Lex, it’s okay, words are hard, feelings are harder.” She rubbed at the girl’s back, letting her cling to her and cry. “Are you sad about moving or sad that you think you’re never going to see me again?”

“Uh-huh,” Alex nodded, sniffling.

It wasn’t difficult for Kara to figure out which one the girl meant, and she quickly thought of a way to reassure her. “Hey, come on,” she said, nudging the girl out of her shoulder. “What makes you think that you’ll never see me again?”

“I’ll be in Midvale, you’ll be he’e, too much space between.”

 _Eliza and Jeremiah must’ve showed her where Midvale was on a map in comparison to Metropolis,_ Kara thought. “Yes there is a lot of distance between here and Midvale, but that doesn’t mean you’re never going to see me again. It will just be different than it is now.”

“I don wan it to be different,” Alex slurred, pressing back into Kara. “You’ll be away, what abou’ movee nigh’ or bathtime, or playing with turtles?”

“We will still be able to do all of those things Lex, even after you move to Midvale. I’m going to visit, I’m not going to abandon you just because you’re moving across the country.” She lightly tugged the girl out of her neck again and plopped her into a seated position on the bed. “I know it won’t be the same,” Kara said. She didn’t want Alex to think that she didn’t know that her moving to the other side of the country was going to be a difficult adjustment. “But think about all of the things that you’ll be able to do in Midvale that you can’t do here. You’ll be able to take the martial arts classes that you want to take, be just like Raphael.” She tugged the Ninja Turtle stuffed animal off from Alex’s pillow, the red mask tied to his face an easy indicator as to which one was the girl’s favorite. “Isn’t that exciting?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded, wiping at her eyes.

“And you’ll be near the ocean, you’ll be able to learn how to swim, maybe even surf. I bet you’ll be pretty good at it.” Kara reached out and wiped at the tears on the girl’s cheeks. “And when I visit, you can show me what you’re learning, and when I call, you can tell me about all of the new friends you’ll make in Midvale.”

“I guess…”

“Hey hey, none of that, this isn’t something to be this upset about Alex,” Kara soothed. “You’re feeling a lot of emotions right now, and it’s scary because you don’t know how to deal with them. Just know one thing, your mom, dad, and I are here for you, you’re going to see me again, just because you’re moving to California doesn’t mean you’re going to escape the tickle monster.” Before the girl could process what she said, Kara was wiggling her fingers along her stomach, pulling loud squeals from her mouth.

Alex let out squeals and scooted back, trying to escape the questing fingers. “Aunty Awa! Stop!!” She laughed.

“Alright, alright,” Kara conceded. “Why don’t you take a nap for a while?”

“Bu’ you were bwingin’ me a p’esent,” Alex murmured, her eyes drooping as Kara tucked her into bed.

“And it’ll be here when you wake up, but you’re still exhausted so naptime for little girls.” She settled the girl down and smoothed back her dark red hair. “I’ll be here when you wake up and if your parents say you can have your present, you can open it before I head home for the night.” Kara scratched at Alex’s scalp and sat with her until her breathing deepened, slipping softly into sleep.

She sat there for another few minutes before easing out of the room, and back down the stairs to where Eliza and Jeremiah were hovering in the kitchen. “She’s asleep,” Kara announced. “I don’t know if she’ll be okay about moving, but I hope that she won’t throw a tantrum about it again.”

Jeremiah looked like he was about to say something but Eliza held up her hand. “No Jeremiah, we’re not hiring Kara as a live in nanny.”

“Why not?” The man pouted. “She can handle our headstrong, stubborn daughter better than we can.”

“Well, for one, Kara has a career that she’s a little attached to at present,” Eliza replied. “And a very evil, clingy roommate that would be upset if we stole her cook from her.”

Kara nodded, “It’s true.”

The man slumped down again, “But what if Alex has a meltdown when we’re living in Midvale and Kara is too far away to help.”

“We’re just going to have to deal with it like all other parents who don’t have a Kara have had to do for thousands of years.” Eliza patted Jeremiah’s head. “We’re going to have to learn to deal with our headstrong daughter, and that means you have to stop caving to large brown eyes.”

“What do you mean? I don’t cave,” he blustered, turning back to check the chicken he had grilling on the stove.

“You always cave, large teary eyes from your daughter are your weakness.” The man just sniffed and ignored his wife, while Eliza winked at the other blonde in the room. “Besides, we can’t afford to really feed Kara enough to employ her.”

Jeremiah glanced over to where Kara was standing and nodded his head sagely. “There’s no amount of money in the world that could properly feed that black hole.”

“Hey!”

 

* * *

 

Kara tugged the large hood further over her head, shielding her face from view if anyone took the time to glance in her direction. One of the good things about Metropolis being such a large city, no one really looked, no one really paid attention to other people, too wrapped up in their own lives to focus on what other people were doing. Long dark strands fell out of her hood and settled down over her collarbone and Kara’s nose twitched at the sensation of foreign hair brushing against her neck. She was at least thankful that Cat had purchased a wig made with real hair, she didn’t think she’d be able to stand the feeling of synthetic hair on her scalp.

It was the first time she had really gone out at night wearing the disguise that Cat had purchased for her. She didn’t really have time to do much in December with all of the work she had to do at the firm. The head architects were busy dealing with special projects, hospital, museum, non-profit expansions funded by the wealthy offloading money at the end of the fiscal year. They got a tax break, and most likely will end up with having something named after them from grateful institutions. While the lead architects were busy, Kara and the other low-level designers were left to deal with ongoing projects, smaller businesses, houses, apartment buildings. Nothing interesting, but Kara appreciated the opportunity to get out of the office and go to the actual construction sites to meet with the building foremen working on the different projects.

Before she knew it, December because Hanukkah, Hanukkah became Christmas, Christmas became New Year’s, and New Year’s became January and she was seeing merchandise for Valentine’s day littering every store she passed. Time was a very odd thing. She ducked down a dark alley until she was out of sight enough to take to the tops of the buildings above the street lights rather than under them. It was easier to filter through the sounds of the city from above, easier to stay hidden, easier to ignore the sensation of hair not her own itching on her neck. She didn’t know how humans could stand wearing wigs on a regular basis.

It was still hard, listening to the city, acting as judge on what crimes she responded to, what pleas for help she answered, but talking with her mother gave her some perspective. She couldn’t help everyone, it wasn’t feasible or realistic, and while she had great abilities that could help her help people, she knew that showing more of them too soon would just breed fear and resentment in the hearts of humans. Many humans were good people, like Cat or Jeremiah and Eliza, trying to help others, trying to speak the truth in the face of adversity. Many more still were trying to live their lives as best as they could, raise their families, make a better future for their children.

But Kara remembers a world that sought for a better future, she remembers the persistence for achievement, for furtherment, and the ignorance that grew in hearts from this desire for a perceived superior life. She remembers the isolationist, fearful ideology of her Uncle Zor-El and his creation of weapons to protect Krypton from outsiders, beliefs that her parents quickly decried. And she remembers what eventually happened to that world that searched for all of those things, believed in all of those fears and ideas; she might have been young but she does remember, her time spent on this world, with the Amazons or in the world of Men has not diminished her memory.

A screech of tires and the sound of gunfire broke Kara from her thoughts and she turned her head, focusing her attention on the commotion. It wasn’t the first time she had heard such sounds, a hazard of living in such a large city, but this time was different, this time sounded more… dangerous. Glancing around, Kara quickly pushed into the air and flew towards the sound, landing in a dark alley nearby. She glanced around the corner of the building and saw four men standing around an armored truck in a shootout with the police. She saw pedestrians taking cover behind cars while the two groups continued to fire at each other. Two bodies were laying on the ground by one of the police cars, blood pooling out of them, and Kara didn’t need her advance senses to know that the officers were dead.

One of the trapped pedestrians let out a scream, and a quick look told Kara that the man had been clipped in the side by a stray bullet. Police had the truck surrounded but the men that had taken the truck had more ammunition for their guns, this confrontation was not going to turn out well for anyone involved and more innocent people were going to get hurt. She moved around to another alley, trying to get a better vantage point, trying to find a way inside the ring to defuse the situation.

Everything was too out in the open to approach secretly like she usually did, if she was going to act, it was going to be public. Time slowed down, another flash of light left the criminals’ guns and Kara was already in motion as the raced between the police cars. Bullets floated passed her and she easily plucked them out of the air before reaching the armoured car. She grabbed the guns, crushing them in her hands, and fisted her hands in their shirts, tossing the four men away from the truck. All in all, it only took a few seconds, but in that time, everything had changed for Kara. She was standing over the downed criminals, her hood up, her eyes glowing behind her mask and long black hair floating down around her face. She could only imagine the sight that she was, but she didn’t have to, she could see the fear in their eyes, on their faces.

Kara glanced up at the police and the other onlookers and found that they were also staring at her. Before they could move, she was gone, blurring passed them out of the blockade of police cars and back up to the rooftops above the city. She lingered for a few minutes, making sure that the police packed up the criminals and the ambulances collected the injured and the bodies on the ground. Slipping away from the scene, Kara pulled the mask and wig off her head and tucked them in backpack she had stored away on one of the buildings a few blocks away, and switched her hoodie with the one she had in the bag. She made her way home, adrenaline flowing through her veins but exhaustion was quickly taking hold of her mind. It was close to midnight when she unlocked the door to her apartment and slipped inside.

Cat was asleep on the couch, a newspaper fluttering over her face when she exhaled, reminding Kara of some of those cartoons she watched with Clark and Alex over the years. She contemplated moving the woman to her bed, but reasoned that the couch was comfortable enough for the shorter blonde to stay there. Kara shucked her clothes off and crawled under her covers, settling down into the mattress. Her mind continued to mull over what she had just down, she had publicly stepped in to stop a crime, not just her usual dash-ins to stop a mugging or scaring people from back alleys, she actually stopped a dangerous crime, she protected people.

She wasn’t sure yet how she felt about it.

It was something she had thought about doing, officially helping people, coming out of the ‘superhero closet’ as Cat had referred to it before. Something had been holding her back, keeping her in the shadows, and Kara was ashamed to admit that it was fear. She had learned of the violence of humans, anger and hatred driven by fear, and she was afraid of what it would mean if it was directed towards her, not because she was afraid of what they might do to her but what would happen if people found out who she was, who she loves. Kara was more afraid for her human friends and family than she was herself, she could take care of herself, but Cat, Eliza, Jeremiah, and Alex were vulnerable. As sleep claimed her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder if she made the right choice.

 

* * *

 

“Well you really did it.”

Kara jolted awake when a lithe body sat down on her bed, and she rolled over to glare at the offending person. She dropped back down on her bed and buried her face in the pillow, a groan escaping her lips. “Go away,” she muttered, her voice muffled in down plush.

“Nope, you’re not getting out of this one Larelle, guess what I woke up to on the front page of the newspaper I work for?” Cat questioned, crossing her legs as she stared down at blonde buried beneath a pile of covers.

“I don’t know, the Soviet Union reforming?” Kara grumbled.

“Don’t even joke about such foolishness Kiera.” Cat scoffed and then unfolded the newspaper in her hand. “Hot off the presses, the front page article, ‘The JSA rises again, the Birth of the Midnight Avenger!’ Comes with a nice picture of you, but I blame Chen for that awful name, so unimaginative-”

Before she could finish her statement, Kara had ripped the paper out of her hand and was staring at the cover in disbelief. It was just as Cat had said, a full page spread based on her exploits the previous night. There was a blurry photo of her in her blue hoodie with dark hair falling out from under the hood and glowing eyes obscuring her face. She was standing over the criminals and the way that they edited and framed the pictures, it looked like she was an avenging angel with how the street lights backlit her body. It was less than seven hours since she had stopped the robbery of that armoured car, and it was already on the front page. “Midnight Avenger?” Kara repeated. “What kind of name is ‘Midnight Avenger?’”

“It could always be worse,” Cat replied, taking the paper back from her friend. “She could have stuck you with something stupid like Blue Devil, or Angel. Looks like she found the same articles that I did though about the JSA, or some of the articles anyway.” A horrified look crossed her face as she glanced up at Kara, “Oh God, she got a front page article! She is going to be insufferable now, and mark my words, she is going to use your coattails to drag herself into the spotlight.” Her eyes narrowed and she gave the other blonde an accusing look, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were going to come out of the superhero closet last night? I could have mentally prepared myself for Angela and her stupid article, but now I have to go to work and deal with that… that… Argh!” Cat got off her bed and stormed out of the room, muttering about how she was going to ‘show Chen how real journalists work’ and cursing Kara’s name and her ‘stupid impulsive alien behavior.’

Kara rolled her eyes at her roommate’s antics. “If you’re going to go be weird, the least you can do is leave me the paper,” she called, and Cat responded by tossing the rolled up newspaper at her head. She snatched it out of the air before it could make contact, and flattened it in front of her. Skimming over the article, Kara noted that despite Cat’s protests, it was well written and well researched, if a bit fantastical in some areas. Most everything was true, but she was sure that the eyewitnesses exaggerated when questioned about everything that occured in the street. She doesn’t remember pushing the truck back several feet after knocking out the suspects single-handedly, not that she couldn’t but she didn’t remember doing it, or touching the truck at all.

A sigh escaped her lips and Kara flopped back down on her mattress with a low thud, the newspaper slipping out of her hands to land on the floor. She’s out there now, plastered all over the paper, not _her_ exactly, but a part of her, a part of her that she has kept mostly underwraps since she started living in the world of men. They don’t know who she is, they don’t know that she’s an alien, all they know is that she has abilities, and she used them to stop a crime from being committed. Whether she regretted it or not, Kara was in now, she was out there now, and she couldn’t take back the decision that she made. She remembered all of the talks she had with Pythia, her mother encouraging her to follow her heart, be the person the she wanted to be, felt she had to be, and now all she felt was sick to her stomach. Her arm flopped off from where she had placed it over her face, and she stared at the ceiling, only one word coming to mind. “Fuck.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was just dragging on me for some reason, and it caused me to get behind on how far ahead I was planning so hopefully I can get back on track soon. Getting to more action sections, and I'm hoping to end this particular plot point soon and move on to more heartbreaking things. 
> 
> Things to look forward to, death and devastating heartbreak. Such fun!
> 
> Also, in case anyone is wondering, Midnight Avenger is not endgame superhero name for Kara, it's just what she's going to have to deal with right now. Remember that they dubbed Clark Superman because of his crest, but Kara doesn't have one so Chen just gave her the first thing that popped in her head that sounded cool. Kara is not pleased.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Avengers Endgame was lit y'all! If you haven't seen it, go see it! Don't dodge it because you're like I don't want to get sucked into the popular crowd, it was a good movie. I give it a 7/10, downgraded for cliches and poor usage of the female characters in the movie, added points for emotional content and being very clever with the trailers. Remember not to spoil it for others, though even if you knew the twists in the plot, the movie would still be good because of the really high emotional content. Captain Marvel is still my favorite though, by far, followed by Black Panther and the Ant-Man movies.
> 
> That said, the next movie on my list to see will definitely be Detective Pikachu, because why not, it looks awesome!
> 
> Anyway, want to know something fun about me? I can't read stories with whole paragraphs of tags, can't do it, just something about it and my brain just shuts off before even getting to a synopsis. Also me, can't read a story that doesn't have the lines spaced. Like if everything is in single spaced paragraphs or in just one giant paragraph, no matter how interesting the summary is, I can't read it, my eyes get confused and give up.

* * *

 

“I’m telling you,” Cat said, her mouth full of bits of chicken and fried rice. “The smuggled fish was the key that led me to all of this information, and since you introduced me to Jian, I was able to find even more connections and sources.”

“So let me get this straight, you connected the Intergang to one of the gangs running Chinatown through this convoluted path starting with the smuggled fish?” Kara questioned, her voice sceptical as she look at her friend on the other side of the table.

Cat nodded her head, swallowing the food in her mouth before continuing to speak, “Yes! I knew something was… well…”

“Fishy?”

“Don’t make jokes Larelle, you’re not good at it. Look, I knew something was weird when I covered that smuggled fish story months ago, and yeah the restaurant paid a fine, fired their chef, and the distributer was cut off, but the supply wasn’t. I published the article, praises, anger, yadda yadda, but I was never able to find who was supplying the fish, so I kept digging until I followed all of the threads.”

“And you tracked it back to the Intergang?”

“No, keep up Kiera, I tracked the supplier back to one of the gangs that run Chinatown and I tracked them back to the Intergang.”

Kara sat back in her sit and scrutinized her friend, “You never gave up following the Intergang did you?”

“Of course not, no one kidnaps Cat Grant and gets away with it,” Cat scoffed. “No, I did what you suggested, I looked for the little fish, the connections. I want Moxie Manheim, we find proof that he’s the one behind the Intergang, then he is going down.”

“I thought everyone knew that he was the one in charge of the gang?” Kara didn’t know that much about the man, just that he was regarded as one of those old fashioned gangsters. The shorter blonde had told her that he went down years ago in Central City for racketeering but had gotten off on a technicality. He showed up years later in Gotham running an import/export business from the docks, one that also has a location on the Metropolis side of the harbor. It was an open secret that he had started the Intergang and was running the main presence of the gang out of Gotham, but no one has been able to prove it.

“No one really talks about the Intergang,” Cat replied. “It’s kind of like a ghost. Most everyone knows it exists, but they don’t talk about it, just like they don’t talk about Manheim being the one running the operation.”

“If the police and the feds can’t find anything to connect Manheim to the Intergang, what makes you think that you can?” Kara asked, earning a glare from the younger woman.

“Well none of them have my delightful personality and sense of justice when it comes to taking down criminals,” the shorter blonde replied. Kara shot her a dubious look and the woman rolled her eyes. “Okay fine, so I have been making connections, like you suggested, and while I don’t have anything to link him yet, I will find something. I have dug up more of the dealings that have the Intergang all over it though.”

“What about the papers from Woolsen’s house that you were rifling through, surely you can use what you saw there to find the information you need?”

“The papers proving that he had taken bribes were still there when the police raided his place, but apparently, everything mentioning the Intergang or Moxie Manheim was gone. Truthfully I’m surprised the Woolsen is still alive, but they might be laying low. Taking out a high profile target like Woolsen is a good way to bring a bunch of attention to themselves that they don’t want…”

“But making a student journalist disappear would barely raise a blip,” Kara continued. “And now that you’re working for the Daily Planet as a junior reporter in the crime division…”

“I’m still dispensable,” Cat finished. “More dispensable maybe, just a small fish in a big pond, but I mean, that’s why I have you right?”

“I don’t know, I might just let them get to you, put me out of my misery of having to deal with you when you’ve been working on a story for a week straight, not sleeping or showering at all.” Kara hummed and popped a dumpling in her mouth, “Might be a good idea.”

Cat scowled at her friend, “I will paint the living room that awful orange color Tennessee thought was a good color for their school.”

“You wouldn't dare, you would have to look at it too.”

“I am willing to poke my eyes out if only to punish you for being an idiot.”

Kara rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut. She knew that Cat would double down on carrying out her threat and she really didn’t want to have to look at that orange color every day when she got home from work. “So where is your investigation going to go from here?” She asked instead, turning the conversation back to the original topic. “You’ve got all of these threads, how are you going to pull them together?”

“It’s gonna take some time, especially since my division editor has me on all kinds of busy work assignments,” Cat grumbled. “Doesn’t help that Chen is the new star of the Daily Planet because of all those articles about the ‘Midnight Avenger’ she keeps publishing.

The taller blonde let out a sigh at the name, and continued eating her food while Cat plotted. She still wasn’t thrilled with the moniker that Angela Chen had saddled her with but it wasn’t like she could actually voice her protests. The few times she had encountered the woman at the newspaper office when she dropped something off for Cat left a lasting impression on the alien. The reporter was terrifying, running down everyone in sight for a lead or a story, like a dog with a bone. If Kara didn’t know any better, she would have thought that Cat had managed to clone her personality onto another person. Watching the two women interacting though, they both just radiated energy and tension, Kara wouldn’t be surprised either way if Cat and Chen ended up killing each other or fucking.

“I really wish she had given me a different name, something that didn’t sound like something straight from a comic book.” It had been several months since she had officially come out as a superhero and the article proclaiming her the ‘Midnight Avenger’ appeared on the front page of the Daily Planet. Since then, Kara has stepped in during other crimes when there was a higher chance of casualties and she has seen more articles of her actions splashed across the front page. She didn’t realize how much she valued her privacy and a normal life until she saw herself in the newspaper at least once a week.

Both Aunt Martha and her mother had been extremely supportive of her decision to expose herself more to the public. The human woman had excitedly told her about all of the article clipping she had saved from the newspaper, and had sent copies to her Amazonian mother. The two ended up talking to each other more than Kara talked to either of them every week, though that probably had something to do with Martha being a stay-at-home mom and Pythia being stuck on a hidden, mystical island.

“I want to know if your runaway girlfriend has seen anything about your alter-ego,” Cat said. It hadn’t taken long for her to weasel information out of Kara about the one thing in her past that she had been holding back, that one thing being the most important person in Kara’s life.

“Dia- she’s not- she wasn’t my girlfriend,” Kara muttered, sitting back in her chair.

“You’re right, soulmate might be a better word,” the shorter blonde mused. “But even still, the Daily Planet is an international paper. Well, available all over the world, surely she would have seen something about you.”

“If she’s even still alive,” the alien replied. “Or if she even cares.” It had taken Kara years to be able to fully process all of her feelings about Diana leaving her the way she did. At first, she was just resigned to the fact that the woman did what she thought was right and was trying to keep Kara safe in the process. The more she thought about it though, the more annoyed with Diana she grew. She left her, left Themyscira to go save the world and stop Ares, but she still left Kara behind, chose to go alone with a man she had just met. It was a choice that Diana made, and Kara still doesn’t know why she didn’t go after her. She wants to see Diana again, she wants to clear up the air between them, but she also wants to punch the other woman in the face for leaving her behind. Diana didn’t deserve to make that decision for her, to basically order her to stay on the island where it was safe knowing full well that she might not ever see her again. Kara really wanted to hit her.

“Oh she’s definitely alive,” Cat said before she could stop herself. At Kara’s curious stare, the shorter blonde sighed and moved away from the table to head back to her room. “Don’t be mad,” she said when she returned. “You’ll probably be mad anyway, but just hear me out.” She set a folder down on the table and pushed it over towards the other woman. “That’s everything I could find about your Amazonian girlfriend, though obviously not called _that_ anyway. But I found her all the way back in WWI which is when you said she left that magical island, nothing concrete from that time, just rumors and some eye witness statements, but I also found a photograph. Well, a scan of an old photographic plate. The scan is really degraded, found it in the Wayne Foundation archives.” She motioned for Kara to open the folder and Kara hesitated for a few moments, fear and anxiety getting the better of her.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought to look for Diana herself, she had thought about it, but something held her back each time. When she was confronted with a folder of information that Cat had dug up about her long lost friend, Kara finally acknowledged the fact that she never looked for Diana because she was afraid of what she would find. She flipped open the folder, and her eyes immediately fell on a grainy photograph. It was obvious that it was a printed version of a microfiche scan, very blurry and degraded, but Kara could recognize Diana. Her fingertips softly traced over the blurred face, stopping briefly where she saw the shadow of Antiope’s tiara on the brunette’s brow. She was wearing the battle armor she had liberated from the armory along with a large cloak that nearly dwarfed her form. Kara eventually shifted her eyes away and looked at the other people in the photo with Diana. She only recognized the one, the man that came to the island, Captain Steve Trevor, the other three men she didn’t know.

“Where was this taken?” Kara asked, reluctantly glancing up at Cat only to see the woman shrug.

“I don’t know for sure, probably France. There were a few cities completely wiped out by the war, and I think the original photo panel was an artifact from one of those cities.” Cat carefully pulled the file back towards her, leaving Kara the picture. “The man that you mentioned, Steve Trevor, he was declared missing during the war and later declared dead, I couldn’t find any information out on anyone else in that picture.”

Kara stared at the picture a few more minutes before looking back up at her roommate, “Is that all you found?”

Cat glanced back down at the folder, “Ah, no, not… not technically, but I did find something… unusual. The Cold War only ended a few years ago, so a lot of the files are still restricted or redacted, especially anything concerning the Soviet Union, but I did run into something, a brief mention of a woman fighting against a Cheetah-like woman. The reports are from 1984, so nine years ago. There isn’t much information, but all of the clues tell me that your wayward friend was involved with the incident.”

The older blonde pulled the folder back to her side of the table and flipped through the pages Cat mentioned. There were black marks covering almost the entire text on the page, which was a feat since less than half of the page had writing on it. Kara noticed the information Cat found but other than that, the file was completely blanked out. “A year before I left Themyscira,” Kara murmured. “Of course, guess this is our fate then, to just always miss each other.”

“I don’t have time for that pity-party shit Larelle,” Cat replied. “You will meet your friend again in the future and you will both confess your love for each other and live happily ever after, so long as people relax their stance on that kind of thing in the future. But before happily ever after part, you’re going to get mad at her, you’re going to yell at her, you’re going to scream at her, you’re going to get all of those feelings out so that you both can heal and actually be together.”

“How do you even know that she’ll want to be with me, or that I’ll want to be with her after all of these years?” Kara questioned. “She might have found someone else, I might find someone else, the future isn’t known Cat.”

Cat nodded, “You’re right, you both might find someone else to share your lives, but I do believe that you will both end up back in each other’s lives, one way or another. And when you do, you’ll have to figure out what you’re really angry about. You always told me when I was pissed off at my journalism advisor or my mother that I had to identify the anger behind the anger.”

“My mother taught me that,” Kara smiled, thinking of Pythia. The woman was the calmest person she knew, slow to anger, and that was because she had always told her that it was wise to know why one became angry in the first place. “Warriors do not become distracted by emotions, they use them to drive their skill in battle.”

“Right, well, you’re in a battle, not Diana right now, but with yourself because you still don’t know what you want. Do you want to forgive her for leaving you and why are you mad in the first place? Until you can answer those questions, you won’t really know why you’re angry, and you won’t know what to do when the time comes and you see her again.” A thoughtful look crossed Cat’s face, “I should write a book, a self-help book, I’ll have to come up with some kind of gimmick though… be the pencil for their… no that’s not gonna work… be their safe harbor in a storm… too cliché. I’ll come up with something.”

“Already planning your next career after finishing up as a journalist?”

“I am planning to take over the media world Kiera, do keep up.” Cat waved dismissively, “But enough for my royalty ambitions, you have all of the information I’ve been able to find about your wayward girlfriend, now you need to decide what you’re going to do with it.” She finished gulping down her food and retreated to her room, leaving Kara to her thoughts.

Kara set her chopsticks down with a sigh, her desire for potstickers overridden for once by the uncertainty swirling through her. She found having her words turned around on her to be extremely annoying, but knew that it wouldn’t be the only time that the shorter woman threw her own advice back at her. Conflicting thoughts continued to muddle her mind, and Kara glanced down at the photograph on the table in front of her. Why was she angry? She was angry wasn’t she? She never really thought about her emotions concerning Diana, but she knew on some level she was angry. She thought that she was angry about the woman’s leaving her behind, about leaving with a man, someone she barely knew, but she also knew enough about herself to know that it wasn’t the only reason she was angry with Diana.

If she was honest with herself, Kara knew that she was more hurt that Diana took her choices away from her, that she didn’t trust her enough to go with her. Whatever the other woman’s reasons were for going off and telling her to stay behind, Kara knew that it was because she didn’t trust her to make her own decisions. She let out a sigh and scrubbed at her face with her hands, it was too much introspection for one night. She wanted to be anywhere else other than dealing with her thoughts, she wanted… she wanted her friends and her mother.

“Cat,” Kara called back to her friend. “It’s a long weekend for Memorial Day, so I’m going to go home for a few days, spend some time with my mom and my other friends.”

“Bring me back some of that wine you brought last time, good stuff,” the other woman replied and Kara rolled her eyes. Her roommate, the alcoholic. She quickly finished what was left of her dinner, and changed her clothes into something easier to deal with while flying. She grabbed her backpack and took off out the door, locking it behind her absentmindedly. If she didn’t, she knew that Cat would forget to lock it when she was in her room working and anybody could walk away with their TV or her house plants.

Someone could also sneak in to murder Cat, but honestly, at this point, the woman probably deserves it, especially for being so irritating.

 

* * *

 

“I love your roommate,” Raina declared. “She sounds hilarious. You should bring her here, I’m sure that I would love to get to know her a little better.”

“No offense Raina, but Cat would probably eat you alive and still have time to do her nails before getting back to her article,” Kara replied. “She’s, quiet possibly, the most terrifying person I have ever met, and I’ve lived with her for the past five years.”

“I can do terrifying, maybe I can get her to relax a bit.” Raina wiggled her eyebrows at her friend and Kara rolled her eyes.

“Right, so I bring my best friend, a woman who is like a dog with a bone to an island full of people that have seen more history than anyone else in the world, and you think your seductive charms will work and keep her focused on you rather than her interviewing every single Amazon on this island.”

“Surely she’s not that bad.”

Kara shrugged, “The few times she’s dated since I’ve known her, she’s always prioritized her writing over… pretty much everything else. She ran out on a guy one time when he was attempting to sleep with her because she got a lead for a story.”

Raina scoffed, “Well, yes, because he was a man, and obviously he wasn’t giving her enough pleasure to drown out her thoughts.”

“Why are we talking about this?” The blonde questioned. “The chances of Cat coming here is very minimal.”

“What, you can’t fly her here?”

“She’s terrified of heights, and there’s not exactly a lot of boats that head in this direction.”

The redhead sighed, “Well, maybe one day I’ll be able to satisfy my dream of being eaten alive.”

“You’re so weird.”

“So what exactly brings you back home from your getaway in man’s world and did you bring me anything?”

“Kind of a spur of the moment trip since I don’t have to be at work for a few days. I was hoping to see my mother but I can’t seem to find her?”

“She's probably off with the queen somewhere, they've gotten cozier with each other as of late, more romantic. They still both fulfill their duties, and of course Pythia is always available for your calls and her talks with that frightening mortal woman…”

“Frightening mortal woman… you mean Aunt Martha?”

“Are you sure she’s not an Amazon? She is truly terrifying, how did you find all of these terrifying women out in man’s world?” Raina shuddered, “She kept asking if I eat my vegetables and wash behind my ears…”

“Aunt Martha is just a very good mother hen, but yes she is frightening. How can some women not be frightening having to grow up in man’s world?” Kara didn’t wait for her friend to answer before shifting the topic again, “So my mother and Hippolyta are… out on a date?”

“They left a few days ago on an extended picnic, probably out frolicking in the forest somewhere, making love under a waterfall…”

Kara scrunched her nose distastefully as Raina’s words registered. “Do you really have to mention it, that’s my mother you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, and I’ve known her for longer than you and she’s hot,” the redhead replied. “Scary and hot.”

“You have a type.”

“Definitely, though let me tell you, some of the newer Amazons had no idea that Pythia was such a badass, since you know she’s all soft and maternal. It wasn't until she beat the shit out of a few of them in training one day that they learned she wasn't someone to be messed with.”

“Do you know when she and Hippolyta will be back from their… date? I kind of want to talk to her.”

“Probably not for a few days but why don't you sit down and tell Aunty Raina all of your problems.” She gestured to a cluster of rocks overlooking the water out towards the island Kara claimed as her own.

The blonde shot her friend a dirty look, “Stop being stupid Raina.”

“I'm not, well maybe just a little bit. Look, you flew here on your few days off work instead of going to see your cousin to talk to your mom. She's off galavanting around the island and you probably don't want to go bother her. However I am here and I am an adequate listener.”

Kara stared at the other woman hesitantly for a few moments, debating on whether she was being sincere or if it would be better to scour the island looking for her mother. Even though she knew the woman wouldn’t mind, she thought better of disturbing Pythia and Hippolyta on their outing. She wanted the two women to spend more time together and if that meant getting advice from her completely insane friend, then sacrifices had to be made. “I…” Kara started. “I think I know why I’m angry at Diana.”

“Uh, you know why, she left you behind for some guy, I mean, that makes me pretty angry and we didn’t even have the whole thing that you two did.”

“I know, and I’m not denying that that’s a reason why I’m angry, but Cat kind of forced me to realize that there was more to my anger than just being made she left me behind.” She took a deep breath and exhaled, saying it outloud would make her feelings more real, more authentic, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “She left me behind, but it’s more than that. She didn’t trust me, I don’t know if she didn’t trust me to help her or she didn’t trust me around humans with my abilities. Despite the centuries knowing each other, training together, she left me behind because she didn’t trust me.”

“You can’t believe that’s true?”

The blonde shrugged, “I don’t know what else to think, I saw that man’s, Steve’s face when he saw part of what I could do, and then I saw hers. I didn’t register right away what it meant, but I think part of me did, part of me knew that that was why I was so angry. I could forgive Diana for leaving to save the world, to protect people, I have forgiven her for that, but not trusting me? What can we have if she doesn’t trust me?”

“I don’t know what to tell you Kara except that you have time to figure it out. You have time to figure out if you can forgive Diana for everything, and if you do, what you want with her, what you want your relationship to be. You can’t keep dancing around each other the way that you did, and truthfully, I don’t think you should wait for her either.”

“I didn’t- I wasn’t waiting for her.”

“Oh yeah? So all of these years on the island and then out in the world of men, you not taking anyone up on their offers was just a coincidence?” Kara averted her eyes and Raina reached out, setting her hand on the other woman’s arm. “Look, I get it, I know that Kryptonians mate for life, you’ve told us this numerous times and you don’t want to lose any more of your heritage than you already have, but maybe you might need to relax your stance just a little bit.”

“How exactly?”

Raina squeezed her arm and withdrew her hand, “Maybe just open up your heart and mind more possibilities and don’t turn down opportunities because you’re worried about what may come, or what Diana might think. You shouldn’t live your life by whatever other people say you should be, just… follow your heart. If that means you have a relationship with someone else, or you become a super villain, well, then it is what it is.”

Kara let out a barking laugh, “You know, you’re not bad at this advice thing.”

“What can I say? I’m a woman of unfathomable depths.”

 

* * *

 

“Are we there yet?” Alex wined, for the four thousandth time, and Kara could see Eliza’s knuckles clenched tighter around the steering wheel and her eyes narrowed.

“Not yet Sweetie,” Eliza replied. “We’re almost to Midvale though, just put your headphones back on and keep listening to your tapes.”

The girl let out an aggravated sigh, the kind that only a four year old could utter, and tugged the headphones back over her head. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive for a while?” Kara asked from the passenger’s seat.

“It’s fine, and we’re only about half an hour from the house anyway, Midvale is just up ahead,” the woman replied. “Though remind me of this next time I decide to move across country with a small child. I’ll let Jeremiah drive the car, and I’ll drive ahead with the moving van.”

“Is there something you want to tell me about future Danvers, or are you planning to move again in the near future?”

Eliza shot the other blonde a dark look and turned her eye back on the road. “Jeremiah and I talked about that recently,” she murmured, not wanting to draw Alex’s attention. “About having another child in the future.”

“Did you two come to any decisions?”

“I don’t know, we were both only children, so I don’t think we would really know how to parent more than one child. And with how busy our lives are going to be, I don’t want to have more children and then not be able to pay more attention to them.”

“Whether you have more children or not if your and Jeremiah’s decision, and I will support you either way,” Kara replied. “You’re a great mom Eliza, just need to relax a little.”

“Just wait until you have kids,” the woman grumbled.

A faraway look entered Kara’s eyes, “I don’t know if children will be in the cards for me.”

Eliza glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye, but didn’t say anything in response. They spent the remaining time driving in silence, Eliza driving and Kara fiddling with the radio dial to set them to different stations available in the area. She knew that Jeremiah prefered NPR and talk radio, but Eliza was an ACDC and Queen girl at heart, especially since at four Alex already knew all of the words to Bohemian Rhapsody. It amused Kara to know end to see the girl suddenly stop playing with her toys and start belting out mispronounced words to the song ‘We Are the Champions.’ Teenage Alex was going to be a very interesting experience.

They eventually reached the town of Midvale and Kara’s eyes quickly took in everything that she could see, which truthfully was probably the entire town. It wasn’t huge, probably only a tenth of the size of Metropolis, if that, but it was larger than the farming community of Smallville. It was a coastal town in California, so it boasted of a quaint Main Street with local restaurants and stores, designed to appeal to tourists that no doubt frequented the town during the summer season. Movie theater, diner, arcade, skate park, beach, mountains not too far away, Kara knew that Alex would love growing up here when she finally settled in, would just take a period of adjustment.

Continuing out of town, Eliza head towards the beach and eventually turned along one of the roads that ran towards the bluffs overlooking the ocean. “And there it is,” Eliza said when she spotted the farm style house on the bluff.

Kara quickly assessed the house, it reminded her of Jonathan and Martha’s home, inviting, friendly. There were a few large trees near the house, and one had an old tire swing dangling from its branches. A cleared path ran down to the beach and Kara could just imagine Alex learning to swim in the waves, eventually getting on a surfboard and trying to conquer the waves with the same stubbornness that had her climbing to the top of the pantry looking for cookies. “This place looks great,” she commented when Eliza finally stopped the car next to the moving van. “Definitely looks like a great house to grow up in, I mean, the beach is right there.”

“The house is in really good shape despite being empty for a while, just need to update some of the appliances in a few years,” Eliza agreed. “And this far out of the city, Jeremiah will be able to put his telescope up. It wasn’t quite the same in Metropolis, though he did have access to the observatory at the university.”

“Light pollution doesn’t seem like it’ll be much of a problem out here,” Kara agreed. She never had the same trouble seeing stars as humans did, she could fly up and touch them if she wanted to, though looking at the stars didn’t bring her as much pleasure as it did years ago. She turned around to look at the little girl in the backseat staring at the ocean wide-eyed. “So what do you think Lexie? Still mad about moving?”

“Oshun,” the girl said. “Aunty Awa, de’e de oshun.”

“Yup, that’s the ocean, do you want to look around while your mom talks to your dad about the house?”

Alex immediately started wiggling, tugging at the straps of her carseat, “Oshun!”

“I’ll deal with her for a while if you need a break,” Kara told Eliza and the woman just nodded her head.

“Bless you, I do have to find Jeremiah. Probably somewhere in there with the movers.” Eliza got out of the car and walked into the house, leaving Kara to deal with the squirming four year old in the backseat.

Kara set the girl down out of the van, and immediately steered her away from the beach, she didn't want to chance Alex's desire to run into the choppy surf. They stayed outside for a while, wandering around inspecting the yard and the tire swing. The girl was silent for most of the time and Kara was concerned that she didn’t like the house, she wasn’t normally so quiet.

“Kara!” Eliza called and the blonde turned around to see the woman walking towards her, Jeremiah trailing behind her. “So the movers have finished with all of the large furniture and placed all of the other boxes in the living room, we just need to start unpacking… Where’s Alex?”

The alien whirled around and looked to where she saw the girl only a minute ago only to find the spot completely empty. “She was just here-” A loud scream interrupted her sentence and they all turned to see the girl disappearing off of the bluff.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did decide to give you guys a little something about Diana in this chapter, not a lot, just a little bit. I looked up the synopsis for WW84 and kid of pieced together some things. I like how DC has completely thrown out any idea of a larger universe because WW84 erases plot points in Batman vs Superman and Justice League that Diana was in hiding for decades and no one knew who she was. Shazam was fun, so was Aquaman, though there were parts that felt long in those movies. Wonder Woman was perfect, so maybe we'll see.
> 
> As for this story, winding down this particular saga in my writing and planning out the next one. Stay buckled in for slow sloooowwwww burn.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What should we talk about this week everyone? The reunion between Kara and Alex was fantastic on the show, but I really need memories of how Alex has treated Supergirl to hit her. I love their relationship, but they have a bunch of unresolved stuff from various seasons and it's unacceptable.  
> Now, Crises on Infinite Earths, I am wondering if they're going to try to merge Supergirl into Earth 1 somehow because that's what happened in Crises, get all of them in one place. Of course, my original idea stands, rebrand as Powergirl so that when the Supergirl movie gets going, the show won't be cancelled. Of course have to rebrand with some of the Powergirl attitude as well.  
> Anything else? Not please with LoT being held until midseason in the fall, it's the only one I consistently watch. The Batwoman trailer leaves me conflicted, I want to like it but I am hesitant. I feel it will be good, but they have let me down before. The Nancy Drew trailer did look good though, dark, gritty Veronica Mars meets Nancy Drew with some Riverdale and hauntings tossed in, I'm ready for it. I am not ready for CW to end their deal with Netflix though, that's some bullshit right there. WB is going to get a streaming service and it and CBS are going to divide the shows depending on who has more rights to things. WB will probably eat the DC Universe streaming service at some point so it's all in one place. And Disney now has complete control of Hulu, which is concerning because of how big Disney is growing and monopoly laws and limiting competition and all that. Of course with all of these companies getting their own streaming service, people will go back to pirating shows because these companies have no clue why we wanted streaming services to begin with.   
> I'm gonna go broke y'all.

* * *

 

“Alex!” Eliza and Jeremiah called out, running towards the cliff, but they were brushed aside by a strong gust of wind. When they righted themselves, they glanced up and saw Kara floating down with Alex snug in her arms, the girl’s arms squeezed tight around the blonde’s neck.

“It’s alright Alex,” Kara murmured, rubbing the girl’s back. “You just had a scare, that’s all.” She could feel Alex’s arms tight around her neck and she crouched down, hoping that being closer to the ground would help her recover faster.

“Aunty Awa…” The girl mumbled, her face pressed into the blonde’s neck. “Can you fly?”

Kara glanced up toward where Eliza and Jeremiah were standing only a few feet away, shock etched across their faces. “Yes Alex,” she replied. “I can fly.”

Alex pulled back and stared at her aunt. “Since when?”

“Oh, I’ve been flying for many years now,” Kara answered. “Many, many years.”

“You no tell me?”

“No, it’s a secret Bug.” Kara ran her hands through Alex’s shoulder length reddish-brown hair. “I didn’t want you to have to keep such a big secret.”

“Se… sek’et?”

“Yes, a secret, meaning that you can’t tell anyone, I could get in serious trouble if someone found out.”

“Why?”

The blonde gave the younger girl a rueful smile, “Sometimes people don’t like things that are different, like people who can fly, it scares them.”

“Falling scawed me,” Alex said, her tears filling with eyes.

“Scared your parents too, but you’re alright, probably just need to take a nap.” Alex sniffled and snuggled back into Kara’s arms, her head relaxing against her aunt’s shoulder. She stood up again when she felt the girl start to relax in her arms and soft even breaths hitting her neck. “So…” she started when she focused on Jeremiah and Eliza. “That happened.”

Eliza smacked Jeremiah’s arm and shot him a glare that could curdle milk. “I told you she wasn’t normal,” she declared. “No one that looks like she does and eats more food than a professional eater is normal.”

“I know that, but you were saying she had to be an alien and I said possibly a gifted human,” Jeremiah returned, rubbing his arm. “Did you need to hit me that hard?”

“Stop being such a wimp Jer,” the woman replied before turning back to her friend. “So what is it, alien or gifted human?”

“I… what?”

“Maybe we should take this inside,” Jeremiah suggested. “Put Alex down for a nap on the couch while we talk?”

“Good idea,” Eliza agreed before turning back to the other blonde. “And don’t think this means you’re getting out of this Larelle, I’ve wait years to prove I was right to this nerd who thinks he is on top of everything space-related.”

“I keep telling you Eliza that there is no proven evidence of alien life, but there is evidence of humans born with extraordinary abilities,” the man countered. “Especially with the appearance of the Midnight Avenger and increased interest in the old Justice Society of America.”

“Just because there isn’t evidence of aliens that we know of, doesn’t mean that there aren’t aliens,” Eliza replied. 

Kara listened to the two bicker back and forth, still not quite sure what she was to make of the conversation. She softly set the girl in her arms down on the couch and turned back to the other two adults, still bickering. “Hey hey,” Kara called when the two started taking low digs at each others’ intelligence. “Can someone explain to me what all of this is?”

Eliza and Jeremiah glanced at each other before gesturing for Kara to sit down on one of the boxes placed around the room. “So we figured out something was special about you shortly before Alex was born,” Eliza said as a way of explanation. “I started to remember a bit more about that night, and I distinctly remember seeing a figure in a hooded jacket with glowing eyes and then I remember seeing you. At first I thought I was imagining things, but then there were rumors of a hooded figure with glowing eyes showing up around town.”

“That doesn’t explain how you came to the conclusion that it was me or that I had abilities,” Kara replied. “Or your conclusions regarding to my biological status?”

“We are scientists Kara,” Jeremiah told her. “It didn’t take us long to figure out that you consumed far more than the required amount of calories a day, even if you were as active as a professional athlete. How much do you eat a day?”

Kara thought for a moment before deciding to answer, “Somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 calories a day depending on what I’ve done that day. I can get away with less but I need to take other measures.”

“What kind of measures?” Eliza asked. “Is the need to eat more calories unique to your species or just to you?”

“Just to her Eliza,” Jeremiah interrupted. “She’s a gifted human, that’s how that works.”

Eliza rolled her eyes, “Kara, please, put us out of our misery and just answer the question.”

“You have to finish first, I mean, my eating habits couldn’t have been the only thing that tipped you off.”

The other woman nodded, “No, they weren’t, but you have to understand, we know you, we spent time with you, so the things we noticed were over time. We suspected you were special before Alex was born, but we didn’t really know for sure until the Midnight Avenger made her Daily Planet debut.” Kara crossed her eyes at the name and Eliza laughed. “That! See, I mean, it was obvious she was you to those of us who know you really well, but your reaction to her name really confirmed it. I’m guessing it wasn’t your idea.”

“No Angela Chen took it upon herself to give me a completely comic book sounding name, but I guess she took lead from the JSA members, Cat told me about them.” Kara stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully, “I don’t quite understand the need for such fanciful names and elaborate costumes, but Cat did talk me into a mask and a wig.”

“Which is good, you need another level of protection other than a hoodie and the fact that people in Metropolis are completely oblivious,” Eliza told her. “Now please answer our question.”

Kara looked at them for a few minutes and crossed her legs. “My planet,” she started, ignoring the smug look of glee crossing Eliza’s face and the disbelief on Jeremiah’s. “My planet, Krypton, was dying,” she continued when they had gotten ahold of themselves. “My parents and my aunt and uncle tried to stop it, tried to convince people of the eminent destruction, but nobody listened. Instead, they sent my cousin and I away, planned our escape here, to this world. My cousin’s pod finally reached this planet in 1985.”

“You said that’s when your cousin arrived,” Jeremiah said. “When did  _ you _ arrive?”

“My- I left later than he did, I didn’t want to say goodbye. The force of the planet erupting knocked me off course, and I was pulled into a black hole. I thought for sure that I was going to die, but I survived, a little worse for wear, but I did. I don’t know how, but my pod got out and I landed on Earth, but over 2000 years in the past. I landed near a secret island full of warrior women, and they took me in. They’re basically immortal unless they fall in battle or they leave the island.”

“That’s why we never met your mother!” Eliza realized. “She lives on a secret island! This is remarkable, do you think we can visit?”

The alien glanced over at Jeremiah, “Men aren’t usually allowed…”

“Oh he can stay here, but Alex and I can come right?”

“You don’t mind?” Kara asked, surprised. “That I’m not… that I’m thousands of years old, I’m not from this planet and I’ve been lying to you?”

“Kara, we love you, you’re family, I mean we made you the godmother of our child and we knew that there was something unusual about you then. Your secrets are your secrets, you don’t owe them to anyone, we’re just honored that you finally decided to tell us,” Eliza commented. “And of course settle the dispute once and for all, and declare the fact that I am indeed more observant than my husband.”

“I have so many questions for you,” Jeremiah started. “What was your planet like, what abilities do you have, how do you have these abilities, are you biologically similar-”

“Erp, no sir, you are not hammering her with questions until after we get the house set up, I do not want to be living with boxes for weeks,” Eliza declared, a glare on her face. “I know how you get Jeremiah Danvers, wrapped up in a project that you’re lost down the rabbit hole for weeks, well not this time.”

Kara glanced around at the other boxes in the room spilling over into the kitchen. It was easy to identify the different rooms the boxes belonged to, not only by their contents but also Eliza’s neat printing on the outside. She quickly located the items for Alex’s room and held up her hand, “Give me a minute.” It only took five seconds for her to have all of the boxes of Alex’s things taken to her room, and less than a minute to have the entire room set up. It helped that the bed was already put together, she only needed to set up the rest of the furniture and get everything organized. 

When she finished Alex’s room, she moved on to the other rooms of the house except for Jeremiah and Eliza’s bedroom and the bathrooms, they could do those themselves. It only took her about five minutes to get all of the other rooms completely set up and the furniture arranged, and she re-appeared in the living room. She had moved her two friends off of the boxes they were sitting on and set them on freshly unpacked armchairs and they just blinked up at her as she stood in front of them. “Did you just…” Jeremiah glanced around and stared at all of the furniture pieced together around them.

“Are you sure that you don’t want to live here permanently?” Eliza asked. “I’m sure that we can come up with a machine that fabricates food to feed you. You can stay here, clean our house, watch our daughter…”

“I’m not moving to be your live-in nanny Eliza.” Kara rolled her eyes, “Besides, if I moved out now, Cat would be dead in a week, tops. She would either get her idiot self killed chasing down a lead or she would starve, she’s completely hopeless in the kitchen.”

“She can feed herself,” the other blonde argued. “She can make pasta.”

“Pasta and frozen meals, that’s about it,” Kara told her. “And I do like my job, I’ve been given more interesting assignments, so I think I’ll stick with it for a little longer.”

“If you insist,” Eliza rolled her eyes. “But in the meantime-”

“I have so many questions for you,” Jeremiah blurted out. “I don’t think I can wait anymore to ask them. Is the house set up enough for you Eliza?”

“If you think I’m going to let you ask her questions by yourself, you have another thing coming.” Eliza immediately ushered Kara into the kitchen. “Make yourself useful and take the car to go get some food while I ask Kara all about her biology. This is going to be a long evening.”

“Why do you get to ask her questions first?” Jeremiah pouted.

“Because I drove your whiny daughter all the way across the country for the past few days and you owe me one.” The blonde woman pointed towards the door, “Food, go.” 

Jeremiah grumbled a bit but left the house and headed to town. If he pouted the whole way, he would never admit it. Eliza waited until he left before turning back to her friend. As much as I want to interrogate you, I’m not going to,” she said. “For one, it would be a gross invasion of privacy. I may be a scientist, but there are limits, and one of the is giving my friend the third degree about her biology. It’s private, but if you want to share, I would really like to listen.”

Kara felt appreciation and affection swelling in her chest and she wrapped her arms around Eliza’s shoulders. “Thank you Eliza,” she whispered before pulling back. “I probably don’t want to talk about my biology with you right now, that does seem a bit too private, but I can answer other questions.”

“You won’t mind talking about your home world? I know you said that you left just prior to its destruction, so that had to be traumatic for you.”

“It was,” Kara let out a sigh. “But it has also been over 2000 years for me. I will always carry that pain with me, but it doesn’t overwhelm me as much as it did when I first landed on this planet. Is this really why you sent Jeremiah away, so that he wouldn’t ask me a bunch of intrusive questions?”

“Well, I really did want to ask you questions first, not about anything scientific though. There’s just been so much that you haven’t said and knowing that you’re from another planet and you’re… ancient does explain a few things.”

The alien rolled her eyes at the ancient part but smiled indulgently at her friend. “So what do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

 

* * *

 

Kara wasn’t sure if it was a relief that the Danvers knew the truth about her origins or not, mainly because since returning from Midvale, Jeremiah was calling her every few days to ask questions until Eliza finally put a stop to it. Alex took her aunt being an alien in stride, of course it helped that the girl was four years old and didn’t quite understand the concept. She just knew that her ‘Aunty Awa’ was a superhero, like the Ninja Turtles, and it had to be kept secret. If she not so subtly asked Kara to take her to her lair in the sewer or get her a pair of ‘nun-chunks,’ Kara just rolled her eyes and ignored the requests.

After she had returned from moving the Danvers to Midvale, life continued on for the blonde, albeit a little quieter. She no longer wandered over to the Danvers house whenever she pleased, but she did visit with some of her other friends in the city, ones she made at university and others when she would wander around at night seeking the best 24 hour diner. Most were casual friends, people she could have lunch or get a coffee with, none like her friendship with Cat or the Danvers. She also spent more time in Chinatown, but that was mainly due to Cat chasing down leads than anything else. Cat had officially started using Jian as a source and was following the trail of the Intergang’s movements through the other gangs operating in the region. It was like following a trail of breadcrumbs from one group to another, each one battling for dominance with the Intergang profiting off all of them. Kara followed Cat’s information as best as she could, and searched for clues that would help them expose what the Intergang was doing, put away the leaders for a long time. The city was too loud though, too noisy, too much to listen to, it was hard for her to pin down exactly what she was supposed to be looking for. 

It wasn’t much of an imposition for her to spend more time wandering around Chinatown, she’s been able to practice the different Chinese dialects and eat as much authentic Chinese cuisine as she wanted. She wondered sometimes how easy it was for her to fall into a new routine, how easy it was for time to continue passing by with Alex not being part of her daily or even weekly routine anymore. She still talked to the girl regularly on the phone when she and Eliza spent time complaining about their favorite TV shows, though it was hard to determine what she was saying due to the distance and the four-year old continuing to slur her words. Eliza was determined that she was going to have the girl speaking properly by the time she went to kindergarten the next fall, but Kara recognized the stubborn glint in large brown eyes as the same one that entered her friend’s eyes when Jeremiah dug his heels in about something. She knew that Eliza was going to be in for an uphill battle, and decided it was a good thing that the two tabled the discussion about any more children. 

Kara sat down on the edge of a one of the apartment buildings just outside of Chinatown, her legs swinging lightly along the side of the building. She pulled one of her containers of dumplings out of the plastic bag that Jian had given her and started digging into her food. It was a little cumbersome with the chopsticks and dipping them into the sauce, especially several stories up, but Kara managed without breaking the chopsticks in her hand. She easily inhaled one box of dumplings and started on another, eating at a much slower pace. 

When she wasn’t sitting in Jian’s place, Kara preferred to sit up on top of the buildings to watch people walk on the streets below or stare out at the skyline. It was relaxing in a way, to take a few moments and be detached from the world, to just watch people as they went about their lives. She was just finishing the last of her dumplings when a familiar noise had her jumping off of the building and running back to the restaurant, the sound of bullets flying through the air. It took less than five seconds to reach Jian’s restaurant, but those five seconds were all it took to devastate a life. Kara slammed into the car that was speeding away from the antique shop, her hands pressing the hood all the way down until it collided with the engine. She had the men in the car knocked out before they could do anything else, and stepped through the broken windows into the front room of the shop. 

It was a scene of utter devastation, Jian was lying on the ground, blood pooling from his body. Kara didn’t need to use her powers to know that he was gone. Rather than mourning for her friend, she turned her attention to the other two people in the room. Nuan was lying behind the country, clutching at her bleeding shoulder, and Kara did a quick scan to make sure that her wounds were not life threatening. When she knew that the woman would survive, she glanced over to the little girl huddled against the wall. Grace’s eyes were screwed shut, her head buried in her knees, and her hands were thrust out in front of her, a shimmering, semi-translucent shield surrounding her and keeping the remaining bullets at bay. Kara could see the shaking in the girl’s form, and knew that she had no idea what she was doing but she also didn’t think that Grace could keep it up for much longer. 

It took less than a second for Kara to knock the bullets out of the air away from the shield and to be crouching in front of the little girl on the ground. “Grace, Grace,” Kara tried, hesitant to touch the girl. The shield around her was unlike anything she had ever seen, and she wasn’t sure what would happen if she touched it. When Grace didn’t respond to her voice, Kara hesitantly touched the shield, trying to breach it to get to the girl. She was first aware of something wrong was happening with a tingling in her arm, but soon that tingling transformed into full on electric shocks strong enough to register on her pain threshold. It had been a long time since she had felt anything that had been able to cause her great physical pain, and the shock of it made her reel backwards, falling away from the girl.

Kara could hear people started to make their way to the scene and she knew that she had to get Grace calmed down before anyone saw her. She couldn’t stay if people saw her, but she couldn’t leave the girl in the state she was in, not with people coming. “Grace I know that you’re scared and you’re hurting, but you need to listen to me, to hear me, you have to calm down,” Kara tried again, crawling as close to the girl as she could get without touching the shield. “Please Grace, you have to snap out of it.”

The shield around the girl wavered and then finally fell when Grace lifted her head from her knees and opened her eyes. “Who…” She started, her eyes and voice filled with tears.

Kara tugged down her hood and pulled off the mask that she had tied around her head. “It’s me, Kara,” she whispered, mindful of people approaching. “People are starting to come, so I need to leave, but I couldn’t leave you the way that you were.”

“Don’t leave…” The girl whimpered, her eyes falling to where her father lay.

“I’ll be back as… as me, but you need to go to your grandmother now and place pressure on her wound, you need to be brave for me, for your father.” Kara reached out and set her hand on Grace’s shoulder, “Can you do that?”

Grace tore her eyes away from her father and look over to where her grandmother was behind the counter. “Yeah…” She nodded, shakily standing to her feet. Kara watched her as she moved over to where her Nuan was laying and started to apply pressure to the wound. She was gone out of the shop less than a second later, just as people started to crowd around the store. The police and an ambulance arrived not much later, Kara guessed that someone called them when they first heard the shots. Nuan and Grace were quickly bundled into the ambulance and sped off towards Metropolis University Hospital, the closest hospital to the area.

The woman watched for a bit, watched as the police officers took the men she had knocked out in the car into custody, bagged the guns in the car and roped off the scene. She stayed long enough to watch them place Jian’s body in a bag. Her heart was hurting, not only for her friend but for the family he left behind. She could stay there and mourn, she could hunt down clues for who ordered the men to shoot up Nuan and Jian’s store, but she knew that she had to focus on the remaining members of the Cho family.

Kara quickly left her place on the roof and made her way back to her apartment to change her clothes. “Cat!” The blonde yelled when she walked in her apartment, her wig and mask in her hands.”Cat!”

“What?” Cat bolted off the couch, the bag of chips in her hand flying everywhere. “What happened?”

“Jian’s store was attacked,” Kara answered, quickly changing her clothes. “He was killed and Nuan was shot. Grace was there when it happened.”

“No,” the shorter woman gasped. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, I stopped the shooters but I didn’t get there in time to save Jian,” she said. “I need to get to the hospital.”

“Wait, drop me off at the office first!” Cat requested, tugging on the pair of jeans she kept by the door. “I want to get on top of this, Jian was my informant, I want to find out who killed him.”

Kara looked at Cat questioningly, “Do you think someone found out that he was your source for the articles you have been working on?”

“I don’t know, maybe, but from what Jian has been telling me, the different factions in Chinatown have been circling to increase their territory, their influence. Your friends’ shop has been a thorn in their side and I guess they got tired of working around it.”

“This has Intergang all over it,” Kara grumbled. “They might not have done it, but you know that they’re pulling the strings and egging them on.”

“We’ll get them Kara,” Cat said, determination on her face. “If not the whole gang, we’ll get the head.”

“Maybe that’s the key, instead of investigating the gang, you look into Moxie,” Kara said. 

A curious look crossed Cat’s face, one that Kara knew that signified the woman was physically present but mentally out investigating. “Me, office, now, you, hospital.”

Kara was out of the apartment and up over the city in a manner of seconds, Cat clutching at her back. She could feel the woman’s claws digging into her shoulder and Kara almost thought about making a cat joke, an urge that she hasn’t had in years. She didn’t want to say anything though with Cat’s hands in reaching distance of her throat. The woman couldn’t hurt her, she knew that, but she wasn’t going to tempt fate. She dropped Cat off in an alley near the Daily Planet and sped off towards the hospital, needing to find out the status of the rest of Jian’s family. 

“I’m looking for someone,” Kara said when she jogged into the hospital waiting room. “Cho, Nuan and Grace Cho, they were brought in a little while ago.”

The receptionist looked up and stared at the blonde, “Are you family?”

“No, I’m-”

“Kara!” The woman turned around and saw Hannah, Jian’s wife, running towards her. “The police contacted me and told me- what happened?”

“I’m not sure, I was near the store and I saw the police and the ambulance, but I don’t-” Kara hated it, hated lying, but she didn’t know how to tell the woman the truth, that she wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t alert enough, wasn’t… wasn’t enough. It wasn’t like she was sheltered from death, she was confronted with it daily living in Metropolis, having to listen to the sounds of the city, listen to people die from illnesses, accidents, old age, but this was the first time she was assaulted visually with the weakness of humans that she had learned about from the Amazons. Jian was her friend and she wasn’t able to do anything to help him, to keep him from getting killed.

Hannah introduced herself to the receptionist and asked after her mother-in-law and daughter, and the woman directed her to the emergency department. The firm grip the woman had on Kara’s hand let her know that she would be accompanying her. When they reached the emergency department, they found a doctor, police officer and social worker waiting for them. The social worker was sitting with Grace who had been checked out by the doctors, and was waiting for her mother to arrive. She was sitting similarly to how Kara saw her earlier, tucked away, her knees folded in front of her, her head pressed into them, trying to look as small as possible. 

Grace glanced up when she heard them walk in and immediately darted to Kara’s side, pressing her face into the blonde’s waist as she wrapped her arms around her. Hannah walked off with the doctor to learn about her mother-in-law’s condition and to speak with the officer, while Kara stayed with Grace. “What’s going to happen now Kara?” Grace whimpered, her voice muffled in the blonde’s shirt. “Daddy is dead and I’m… what’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing is wrong with you Grace,” Kara murmured, tugging the girl over to the chairs. “There’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just special, different from everyone else.”

“Like you?”

Kara hesitated for a moment before responding, “Yeah, like me.” Truthfully she didn’t know what to say about Grace’s abilities, she had never encountered a gifted human before but that didn’t mean that they didn’t exist. She wondered briefly if it was a mutant gene, another stage of human evolution, or something more.

The girl tucked herself back into Kara’s side and the blonde turned her eye to where Hannah was still talking with the police officer. She didn’t know what was going to happen to the little family now, but she swore that she was going to avenge Jian’s death, she had to.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm putting this in the end note because I didn't want anyone to be sad, but I'm going to update once more this month and then I'm going on hiatus for June and maybe part of July, I'm not sure. I will be traveling a lot and while I'll be able to type from my iPad, I don't trust posting with it. Fortunately where I've scheduled to leave off is a good place to stop for a month or two. Just don't be too sad, I'll be using the time to hopefully locate Diana and see where she is. Plus vacay, vacay and mental health is important. Make sure y'all are taking care of your mental health in these interesting times.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am ready for vacation y'all, you have no idea. I need some adventures, I need some relaxing, I need to be anywhere but at home seeing the same people all the time!
> 
> Alright, so season finale of Supergirl, Red Daughter served what purpose exactly? They should've at least kept her alive to use at a point in the future. The season finale of Legends of Tomorrow was better, mainly because LoT is a better show because it is so ridiculous and amazing and incredible. BUT! They all tied in for the crossover rather well, but I am nervous about how Crisis on Infinite Earths will play out because I don't want any of my babies to die!
> 
> Batwoman looks good from the previews, though I do have some concerns with it, but I will give it a shot until the writers ultimately let me down because we cannot have nice things.
> 
> Still pissed I have to wait until mid season to get LoT btw, in case anyone thought I had let that go, I have not.

* * *

 

“You were the one that told me we couldn’t go running in guns blazing,” Cat said, hands on her hips. “You told me that we had to be smart about this.”

“Now it’s different,” Kara replied. “They killed Jian, you know this, I know this, we need to do something about it. They either figured out that he was an informant or they got tired of his neutrality, interfering in their business. It doesn’t matter either way, we know that Moxie Manheim pulled the strings and ordered the hit or goaded the Triad into doing it.” It didn’t take long for the police to identify which of the gangs in Chinatown that the goons belonged to, their allegiance to the Chinese Triad tattooed along the side of their necks.

“Even if you didn’t think that the Intergang was involved,” the older blonde continued. “You know that they executed the shooters in order to keep them from talking.”

Cat scoffed, “Of course Kiera, I’m not stupid, and neither are the police, but the fact of the matter is that there is no proof, no surveillance, no bullets, no evidence, nothing. There isn’t much for the police to investigate.”

Kara exhaled loudly and pinched the space between her eyes. She knew that Cat was right, there was no evidence, and speculation without evidence wouldn’t lead them anywhere. It had been a few weeks since the shooting at Jian’s store and since then the violence has intensified. The different factions vying for control over the district have started all out warfare against each other instead of the uneasy truce that has been in place in the district for years. The gunmen that had attacked Jian had been members of the Triad, and were most likely trying to take the neutral territory by killing a prominent shop owner and frightening the others. They were later found in their jail cells with their throats slit, the police believed out of retaliation for their attempt to seize more territory. Kara and Cat knew better though, they knew about the influence of the Intergang in the region and knew that the group would do anything to keep their presence unknown. The gunmen had been killed to keep them from talking, to keep them from mentioning the entity that has been fueling the drama and strife.

“What is the Cho family going to do?” Cat asked, her voice hesitant.

“Hannah told me at the funeral that they’re going to move back to her hometown in Georgia,” Kara replied. “She still has family that lives down there, and she and Nuan agreed that they all needed a change of scenery, to leave the bad memories of the city behind.”

“What about the kid?” The younger blonde questioned. “I don’t think she’d be too happy about having to leave her home.”

Thinking about the young girl brought up memories of the conversations she had with her after her father’s funeral. Grace seemed to shut down in the days following the incident at the shop, and Hannah eventually contacted Kara out of desperation in hopes to help the girl. She hadn’t talked, hadn’t cried since that time with Kara in the hospital when her mother went to check on her grandmother. Hannah hoped that the blonde could work a miracle again and at least get her little girl talking again.

Kara tried, she did, but she didn’t seem to have much luck either until the girl’s stone façade finally cracked. With it came an outpouring of regret and tears, and the blonde eventually discerned through the sobs that Grace blamed herself for not being able to protect her father. If she had done something different, if she had known about what she could do, she could have saved her father, he would still be alive and they wouldn’t have to move. Kara tried to console her as best as she could but she didn’t really know what to say. She knew the grief of losing a parent, she lost both of hers and her entire planet, but time truly does numb, if not heal, all wounds. It had been over two thousand years and she didn’t know what to stay, so she just held the girl while she cried. Apparently that was what Grace needed, someone who could listen, because Hannah told her that the girl was doing better, talking more, actually mourning rather than keeping everything bottled up.

It had been almost three weeks since the shooting, two since Jian’s funeral, and the violence in Chinatown has only escalated, it was to the point that the mayor of Metropolis had placed warnings on venturing into that part of the city. “We just can’t keep letting people get hurt,” Kara told her. “We have to do something, it’s getting worse.”

“Reporting the news good or bad, seeking the truth against all odds, exposing crooks, those are jobs for a reporter, saving lives and preventing crimes, those sound like jobs for a superhero,” Cat told her. “So the better question is, what are you going to do about it?” Kara looked over at her friend and the blonde held up her hands. “I can find information to lock Manheim up, but only you have the power to stop him, to keep him from hurting people.” She pressed a finger into Kara’s chest and pushed, “You have the power Kara, stop hiding from it.”

“I’m going out there and stopping what I can, what else do you expect me to do?”

“Are you really doing all that you can though?” Cat replied. “Or are you just doing what you want to, what you’re comfortable with?” The shorter blonde shouldered her bag and left the apartment, leaving Kara to her thoughts. She had more important fish to fry than dealing with a depressed alien. She had a hunch about where to find Moxie’s base in Metropolis, and she needed to hunt down the right information in order to see if she was right.

Kara huffed and fell back against the couch, Cat’s words running on repeat through her mind. She was not afraid of her abilities, not afraid to help people… was she? She rubbed at her face in frustration and let out a groan, she was afraid. She was afraid of what people would do when they found out she was different, more than what they already thought. She was afraid that people would find out she was an alien, would they turn on her, would they find Clark, the Kents, the Danvers, Cat? Her anxieties about the truth of herself being discovered kept her from helping people, truly helping them as she knew she could.

Another sigh escaped her lips, and her thoughts continued to swirl. She didn’t used to be afraid, or she didn’t have any reason to be afraid. Now though, now she had friends, family to look out for, people to worry about, what else was she supposed to do? Diana’s face filtered through her mind and she could almost hear the other woman’s voice telling her to be brave. The thought caused Kara to growl and throw herself off the couch and then out of the apartment. She grabbed her bag with her costume in it as an afterthought and left the building.

She didn’t realize she had changed and was floating over the district of Chinatown until she was already there. Kara could hear the sounds of gunshots, screeching tires, and  elevated coming from the streets below, could feel the tension that wracked the city radiating through the air. People were hurting, and she had the power to help them, more than she already did. Her eyes fell on a group of young men a block from her, just hooligans taking advantage of the drama and chaos, swinging bats to smash car windows and streetlights. She was on the ground and had one of the bats in her hand before she even registered moving. The wood splintered in her hand, and Kara could feel her eyes glowing with heat as she stared at the group in front of her. She could see the hesitation in the boys’ eyes, the internal warring of that fight or flight instinct that all humans have pre-programed in their brains before flight eventually won.

Kara dropped the remnants of the bat from her hand and glanced around, seeing the mess along the streets from the looting that was a side-effect of crime and chaos. Maybe there was a way she could help people, stop the violence and the destruction, one group, one person at a time.

 

* * *

 

Cat dropped a few quarters in the payphone and dialed the familiar phone number, her foot tapping as she waited for the person on the other end to answer. “Come on, pick up pick up pick up,” she muttered, tugging the collar of her trench coat closer around her neck. “Kara you better pick up the phone you stupid alien or I’ll-”

_“Hello?”_

“Kara! Finally, for someone with lightning fast reflexes, you are slow to answer the phone.”

_“I was-”_

“Nevermind that, I need you to get down to the docks,” Cat said. “Pier… 17. And I need you down here yesterday Larelle.”

The phone on the other end of the line went dead and Cat stared at the receiver, distaste written across her face. “They better come up with a more efficient way to call someone, I swear…”

A knock on the outside of the phone booth caused Cat to jump and whirl around, meeting the eyes of her best friend behind her mask. “Must you sneak up on people like that?” Cat hissed, opening the door. “You could have given me a heart attack.”

“What are you wearing?” Kara asked, looking her friend up and down. “Where do you keep getting these trench coats? And is that a fedora?”

“I am undercover Kiera,” Cat replied, tugging at the collar popped around her neck. “You’re clearly not aware of the style required for undercover operations.”

“You do remember that you were the one that decided on this ‘costume’ right?” Kara replied.

“Let’s not quibble about semantics and technicalities right now,” Cat waved her hand dismissively. “I called you down here for a reason.”

“I hope so, I was two pizzas into a three pizza marathon and I had just finished Beauty and the Beast and I was about to put Aladdin on.”

“You’re several thousand years old and you’re basically a child.” The shorter blonde rolled her eyes and her roommate shot her a withering look. “Maybe eat a vegetable at some point.”

“I can leave you without food for a few days while I visit the Danvers on the west coast,” Kara retorted.

“We don’t have time for this,” Cat said, changing the subject. “I got some information from an informant of mine that is only good for tonight, so we need to move fast.”

“What are we doing at the docks?”

“Right, it’s taken me a few weeks, but I’ve finally track down Moxie Manheim and where the Intergang is headquartered,” the woman replied.

“Really?”

Cat nodded, “Yeah, Moxie slipped up when he ordered the hit of those guys in prison, left a trail of breadcrumbs to follow. The only thing that was proving tricky was finding where the Intergang was headquartered. No one, and I mean no one, knew anything, until tonight that is.”

“What’s special about tonight?”

“Well apparently, the reason we haven’t been able to find them is because they keep moving bases randomly through the city, but today, today they’re supposed to be getting a shipment in of… something, probably guns or drugs, so they’re planning on going underground for a while after.”

“How did you find all of this out?”

“One of the contacts I made while investigating the smuggled fish.” Cat shrugged, “And people made fun of my for crawling all over these docks during that investigation, well I finally hit pay dirt.”

“Try not to keep me in suspense Cat.”

“Right, so one of the fishermen I spoke with told me that Moxie has been spotted shifting between docks, and eventually I figured out a pattern. He’s going to be on dock 19, tonight receiving the last shipment before going dark and showing up in a new city somewhere. Needed to give that guy tickets two different Broadway plays for all of this information.”

“What kind of plays?”

“Tickets to Camelot for the first information, and then Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, do you know how hard that was to get? It just started a few weeks ago.”

Kara shook her head, “We’re getting sidetracked, why did you call me to dock 17 if they’re going to be on dock 19?”

“We can’t show up right on their doorstep Kiera! We have to be sneaky, and besides, it’s not like you can’t see straight to the pier from here.”

The shorter blonde gave her an impatient look and Kara rolled her eyes before directing her attention towards where Cat was indicating. She squinted her eyes and shook her head, attempting to see through the clutter. “I can’t see anything,” Kara admitted. “There must be too much lead around, it is the only material that I’m aware of that I can’t see through, it’s too dense.”

“That makes sense, that’s why have to wear those stupid lead gowns when taking x-rays at the doctor or at the dentist.” The shorter blonde gave the other woman an appraising look, “Guess you aren’t completely perfect, you have your faults, can’t see through lead, I mean really, what kind of amateur are you?”

“Maybe it’s my turn to tell you to leave the jokes to the professionals,” Kara retorted. “So what exactly was your plan? I can go in there and capture them but I don’t think that would serve the right purpose.”

“No and it also wouldn’t do any good,” Cat replied. “You can stop them from doing whatever it is they’re doing, but we need to catch them with some evidence. I don’t know if we’ll fully get Moxie for Jian’s murder, but we can get him for racketeering at least. He’ll be going away for a long time, but we have to play this smart.”

“Alright, so again, what’s the plan?”

“I will figure it out on the way.” Cat grabbed Kara’s arm and started tugging her in the direction of pier 19. “We have to hurry though and make sure to stay out of sight. I have no idea if they’re already here, or when they’re going to get here or if they have a lookout stationed somewhere.”

Kara held up her hand and pointed towards the dock, “I will look around for any lookouts, you make your way to the docks, stick to the shadows.”

“Do you think I’m an idiot Kiera?”

“Sometimes I wonder,” the older woman muttered. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

With that, she was gone, leaving Cat in the shadows created by a blinking street light. “‘Don’t do anything stupid,’” Cat scoffed. “She really needs to work on her exit lines. Maybe something like For Truth, Justice, and the American way… no that’s stupid. This looks like a job for- No, also stupid, what kind of idiot would say that? It’s ninja time! With how much creeping around she does, that might work.”

“What are you doing?” Kara reappeared, causing Cat to jump about a foot in the air.

“What did I tell you about sneaking up on people?” The woman hissed out, one hand on her neck measuring her pulse.

“I thought you would be heading down towards the dock by now,” Kara replied, indicating the distance between them and pier 19. “I looked around, no one is here, so if someone is coming, they’ll probably come soon, it is approaching midnight after all. We’ll have to find somewhere to hide.”

“You’d think criminals would learn to do illegal activities during business hours,” the shorter woman said. “Happens all the time in more ‘legitimate’ businesses.” Cat glanced around when they drew closer to the correct pier and the accompanying warehouses and cargo containers. “Did you see any good hiding spaces that wouldn’t be occupied by a sniper and would still give us a good view of anyone coming in and out?”

“There isn’t a single place that will give us a good vantage point, but I guess we could split up, take different sides? Would make it easier to watch different parts of the dock and the warehouse.”

Cat nodded and rifled around in the back that she brought, shoving a walkie talkie into Kara’s hand. “Take this, call me if you see something, I’ve linked the channels already. I can probably mutter something and you’ll hear it but we’re not all blessed with super hearing.” She returned her hand to her bag and pulled out a camera. “I will be taking some pictures for evidence as well as for the story. We will be catching Moxie red-handed tonight before he can disappear down into whatever dark hole he crawled out of.”

“We spy on him, you get your pictures, and then what?”

“We’ll have to figure out a way to catch him,” the shorter woman answered. “We can’t let him get away, but calling the police might tip them off. It’ll be tricky, but we’ll think of something.”

Kara wasn’t comfortable with how lax everything with the plan was but she knew that it wouldn’t do any good trying to talk Cat into a different strategy. It was better that she was aware that Cat had no clue what she was doing in order to be prepared to clean up the mess, than to think that Cat was prepared when the woman was just going in with another half-baked scheme. Those never worked out well in the end, usually for her since Cat has yet to learn from her stupid ideas. She indicated where Cat could settle herself down to not be spotted by anyone, and made her own way up to watch the warehouse and docks from above, sequestered in an old rundown crane.

The whole dock was rundown truthfully Kara noticed as she glanced around. The pier, the crane, the warehouse, the outbuildings, even the boats waiting just off of the pier were older. She wondered if this was one of the older docks that had fallen out of favor with traditional shipping companies. It was in a weird location in the bay, far from the opening of the harbor, but also not close enough to the highway line to immediately load the cargo into trucks and send out into the city.

She settled down into her spot and heard the crane let out a creak of protest, rusty metal brushing against her back and legs. Waiting was probably the worst thing for her, waiting for criminals to show up and commit crime, waiting to get justice for Jian, waiting for Cat to do something idiotic, Kara has come to hate waiting. Part of it was waiting increased her awareness of the passage of time because waiting seemed to make time slow down. She wondered if she had ever been good at waiting.

An hour passed before Kara heard anything suspicious, and she turned towards the pier and spotted a small boat slowly easing up to the dock. She clicked on her walkie talkie and relayed to Cat that she spotted something before turning it on again. She didn’t want it to accidentally go off, and reveal either her or Cat were there. Once the boat eased into a slip, more people started to arrive to place a ramp up to the boat and several more stepped off and down onto the dock. She saw several cars pull up to the side of the warehouse, each one black with tinted windows. “I’m sure Cat will have something to say about the cliche of what kind of vehicles criminals drive,” Kara murmured to herself. She tracked all of the movement with her eyes before spotting several large cargo crates being carried off of the ship that had pulled up to the dock.

Kara quickly scanned the crates and her eyes widened at what she saw. “Shit,” she muttered. “I’ve got to get Cat out of here.” She turned her head to where she had left Cat near the warehouse and noticed that the woman was gone. “Should’ve known.” Kara took a quick glance through the warehouse, and crossed her eyes as the lead in the old buildings stopped her from truly seeing anything. “Stupid reporter instincts leading her into stupid situations and I should really know not to trust the stupid head and her nine lives.” She grumbled as she left her perch on the crane and quickly made her way to the roof of the warehouse, the familiarity to the first time she saved Cat from the Intergang was not lost on her.

For once Kara was grateful to the dark clothing and wig that Cat had shoved on her for her costume because it allowed her to blend into the shadows as she stared down through the dirty windows into the warehouse. It wasn’t hard to spot Moxie Manheim among the gathering of goons and thugs, the burly figure, tailored suits, bowler hat, Chevron mustache and cigar were clear indicators of who was in charge. Standing just across from him was a group of Chinese men, members of one of the groups that had been terrorizing Chinatown with crime and violence.

The crates that had been unloaded from the ship were pulled into the warehouse and Moxie directed one of his men to open the top box. There, sitting snuggled in a tight foam case, were rows of guns, 15 rifles in a single crate. With the amount of crates unloaded from the ship, Kara knew that having such a large amount of guns was never a good thing.

“Shipment delivered as promised Yau,” Moxie drawled out, talking a long drag of his cigar. He exhaled and thick smoke streamed out of his mouth and nose, giving the man a sinister look that made Kara’s skin crawl. “Do you have the agreed upon payment?”

“You drive a hard bargain Manheim,” the man, Yau, stated. “The price is high, but your support in our endeavor is more valuable, it has been a great pleasure working with you.” He motioned for one of his men to hand over the briefcase in his hand and the man set it down on one of the closed crates.

One of Moxie’s men opened it, revealing large stacks of hundred dollar bills, and when he nodded to his boss, Moxie shot the other man a broad grin. “It has been my pleasure doing business with you Yau, I’ll be sorry to leave such a valuable customer.”

“Yes, I had heard you were leaving Metropolis, returning to Gotham?”

Moxie laughed, a deep barrel laugh tinged with something darker that made Kara wonder if she had entered some kind of tacky action movie. “No, Gotham is still a touchy subject for me, I might try heading west, I hear California has good prospects.”

“And not as many people out for your head,” Yau laughed.

“Indeed, though I will have men here looking out for my interests, and continuing partnerships with such good customers like yourself.” The portly man snapped his fingers and the briefcase with the money was spirited away by one of his men.

Before any of them could say anything else, one of the other man walked into the warehouse, dragging a familiar figure behind them. “Oh Cat,” Kara grumbled as she saw her tossed on the floor in front of the men. “What have you done now?”

“Hey boss, I found this one snooping around spying on us.”

Kara face-palmed and let out a groan. “I should know better, really, I should know better.”

“I think I know you,” Moxie stated, his cigar held easily between two fingers of his right hand. “Cat Grant, reporter for the Daily Planet, you wrote that article about the fish smuggling ring, cost me quite a bit of business.” He took another puff of his cigar and a contemplative look crossed his face. “I think you were also the one that wrote that article about Woolsen years ago weren’t you? Good article, you’re a very good writer, it’s a shame we can’t come to some kind of arrangement.”

“If you’re insinuating that I agree to stop reporting on your activities for some kind of financial compensation, you clearly don’t understand my integrity as a journalist,” Cat answered.

Moxie just shrugged, “Journalist can be bought, same as anyone else, I’ve purchased a few in my career. A good journalist is about as smart of an investment as a politician.”

“Was that statement supposed to be a compliment or an insult? I can’t really tell.”

Kara would need to have another conversation with her roommate about not mocking her capitor. “Well she hasn’t been kidnapped recently, maybe a few more times will have the lesson sink in,” she muttered to herself.”

“That’s a shame,” the gang leader continued. “You showed great promise, oh well, you win some you lose some.” He snapped his fingers again and waved dismissively, “Get rid of her boys.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Cat started when two goons moved to drag her away. “People know I’m here and the police are already on their way, do you really want to chance it?”

“What is this Manheim?” Yau started, backing away from the two. “Can’t your men scout a location properly?”

The burly man narrowed his eyes and snuffed his cigar out on the ground. “You’re lying,” he stated, focusing back on the blonde woman.

“Are you willing to bet on that?”

Moxie pulled a pistol out of his coat and pointed it at Cat, a dangerous look in his eyes. “Are you?”

Kara was moving before she even realized what was happening. She had all of the men in the warehouse knocked out seconds after bursting through the window she was looking through, and rounded up the men on the dock only a few seconds later. “You do realize that this is the second time I had to burst through windows to save your behind from some stupid stunt you decided to pull,” Kara said. She was tying up the last of the men using some of the rope and chains she had found lying around the dock. “I’ve got glass everywhere, it’s going to take forever to get it out of this sweatshirt and wig.”

“You’ll survive,” Cat waved her hand dismissively. “I was a bit concerned there for a minute that you would miss your cue.”

The taller woman was about to speak again when the sound of cars closing in on where they were drew her attention. “You actually called the police?” Kara asked, looking back at her friend.

“Of course, I’m not stupid, I snuck away after you told me someone was here and called in an anonymous tip. I might have also suggested that they arrive in stealth mode if they don’t want to spook anyone.”

“Did you get everything you needed to prove any of this to the police?”

“I got some good pictures, but I also got...,” Cat pulled a recorder out of her pocket, “everything on tape. I stopped recording as soon as you burst through the window.”

“So you did have a plan before we got here.”

Cat shrugged, “I had a general idea but nothing concrete, and I couldn’t have done this without you.” They could hear cars pulling up outside of the warehouse, and they both turned to see the police jogging up to the building.

As soon as they spotted her, Kara was gone, vanished back through the broken window that she smashed through. Before she left the area and headed home, she heard Cat speak to the officers approaching the warehouse. “Well it’s about time you got here.”

 

* * *

 

“... Intrepid, beautiful, vivacious reporter Cat Grant-”

“It does not say that,” Kara replied, snatching the paper out of her hands. “Our own Cat Grant was instrumental in the capture of Intergang leader Moxie Manheim, along with Metropolis’ own Midnight Avenger… Really need to get them to change that name.”

“Well next time you make a superhero debut, pick your own name,” Cat retorted, taking the paper back out of her hands. “I’m a little put out truthfully, my own article about Moxie’s activities was regulated to tomorrow’s paper.”

“You’re getting a lot of interest though,” the taller blonde replied. “People want to talk to you, interview you, probably will do wonders for your career.”

“Yeah, if they didn’t want to ask me questions about you all the time, I might feel better about it.”

Kara winced, “Sorry, I should have left before they saw me.”

Cat waved her hand, “It’s alright, I planned it that way. You’re a curiosity right now, that’s a place you don’t want to be for long. You need to become a symbol, a force, so that if and when they find out the truth about you, they won’t automatically recoil in fear because of all of those stupid science fiction movies.”

“So you dragged me along on your hunt for Moxie to help solidify my image?”

“That, and I also needed backup, and you needed closure for your friend.” Cat set the paper aside and sipped at her coffee, “Have you told the Cho’s that Moxie is under investigation?”

“I told them that Manheim and the Intergang was being investigated for encouraging the violence in Chinatown and leaders of the three gangs in Chinatown had been caught as well thanks to Moxie’s diligent record keeping. Hannah appreciated me telling them, and said that this might help them settle in better in Freeland. Grace is going to be starting back to school in January, and Hannah is hoping that the routine will help ease them all back into a semblance of normalcy.”

“Routine does help with grief,” Cat agreed. “So does time. They won’t be the same as they used to be, but they will heal.”

Kara hummed and sipped at her own coffee cup, “I just can’t believe we finally took down the Intergang, after all of these years.”

“We didn’t take down Intergang, not really, it’s too large and too deeply entrenched in dark shadowy places to fully be ferreted out. We got the head, but someone else will take Moxie’s place. For now, we can count this a win while they retreat to lick their wounds.” She held up her mug in a toast, “So I say to them, until the next time.”

The taller blonde grinned and tapped her mug against Cat’s, “Until the next time.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the end of Arc 2, and where I adjourn for a brief vacay so I can rest, relax, and catch up on some life stuff. I will hopefully be back later this summer with Arc 3. And if anyone is wondering, Arc 4 is when our two main characters will collide again. I have most everything for Arc 3 planned out, just need to work through timing, behavior, and Alex demanding Aunty Awa time, she's very pushy. 
> 
> So, I will leave this here, and I will pick back up later this summer (or winter for our southern hemisphere friends)

**Author's Note:**

> For those new to my stories, welcome, leave a comment or kudos if you like it. Just your friendly neighborhood multi-shipper here.
> 
> For those returning readers, welcome back. I am working on a sequel for When Stars Fall, but it is slow going right now. I will get it out eventually, but this one has been waiting for close to a year to have its debut.


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